Harry Potter and the Reflection of Desire
by u n t i l f o r e v e r
Summary: In Harry's 5th year, a promising potion has devastating effects and forces him to recount his past, resulting in receiving an old letter from his Mum, and having to visit Godric's Hollow...but then there's also the Orb of Shadows...and You-Know-Who...;)
1. The Phone Call

Disclaimer: Hey look a flying pig!  Oh sorry my mistake…well that's when these characters are mine…when pigs fly…;)

The wind howled through the trees, as the branches waved back and forth. Fallen leaves swirled around in the air, as a glowing moon shone through the misty clouds. A sliver of moonlight illuminated the weathered street sign standing at the edge of a quiet street corner. 

_Privet Drive.___

At first glance, there was nothing unusual at all about Privet Drive. Nice, neat little houses all in a row. There were normal gardens, normal cars, normal people. There was nothing suspicious about it at all. 

But then, if you looked closely, you would _feel_ that there was something different about this street. Something hung in the air. There was a feeling of fear, and suspense...A feeling that something was going to happen…

In the mysterious fog that hung over the street, a brilliant green snake could be seen. It slithered silently behind a bush. There was a sinister hissing noise. In response, a low murmur sounded.

"Yes…Nagini…Yes, that will do nicely indeed…" A high cackling laugh broke the silence and suddenly Privet Drive was bathed in green light. Then, as suddenly as it had come, Privet Drive was silent once more, with no sign at all of the green light, and the snake…or even the person who had laughed.

* * *

In the smallest bedroom at 4 Privet Drive, Harry Potter woke with a start. He 

sat up in his bed and felt around for his glasses on his nightable. He put them on, and looked expectantly around the room, as though he was ready for something to come and spring up on him. Of course, nothing happened, and Harry tried to recall what had woken him. 

He wrinkled his forehead in concentration…he had been dreaming about something again. There had been a green flash… a snake…Voldemort's snake! Harry felt a sudden burst of fear…the last time he had woken like this was last year. He had been dreaming about Voldemort and Nagini, and last time his dream had not been a dream at all…Dumbledore had said himself it had most possibly happened! However, last time he had woken with his scar burning.

Now, he fingered the lightning-bolt scar etched on his forehead. It was his only remnant of his first encounter with Voldemort. He had survived with only a scar, but at the cost of both his parents' lives. Harry's mother and father had been murdered by Voldemort. And his mother had only died to protect him. At least his scar wasn't hurting now, and Dumbledore himself had said he thought Harry's scar only hurt when Voldemort was near, or when he was feeling particularly angry. 

Harry shivered. He hated thinking about Voldemort, and avoided the subject if he could. Harry decided that the nightmare was nothing to worry about, and that in fact, it was just a nightmare. Harry resolved to think about happier things now. He scanned the room, searching for something that would remind him of a memory far happier. His eyes fell on the birthday cards propped up on his night table. He smiled, Voldemort now out of his mind. The cards were from his best friends, Ron and Hermione from Hogwarts, the wizarding school he went to. Harry frowned suddenly…Ron and Hermione had both said they would contact him and have him stay over the holidays. Harry had been looking forward to the invitation all summer long, and now, since there were only about two weeks left until the start of the term. He knew time was running out, but he was still anxious to hear from either one of them. 

He still needed to go down to Diagon Alley to buy some new school supplies. As Diagon Alley was in London, he was certain the Dursleys wouldn't bring him. _They_ wouldn't care if he got into trouble, because he had no parchment left to finish his schoolwork, or if he didn't have enough potion ingredients left. Harry grimaced. Professor Severus Snape, Head of Slytherin house at Hogwarts would love an excuse to take off loads of points from Gryffindor, and Harry couldn't let that happen. Gryffindor had won the House Cup three years in a row now, and he couldn't let Snape stop them while they were on their winning streak. He would find a way somehow to get to Diagon Alley he resolved. One way or another, he would get there. 

Startled, Harry suddenly noticed that dim rays of sunshine were now peeking through the window. He glanced at the clock. 5:34 AM. Harry yawned…he still had a couple hours left to sleep. Voldemort and evil happenings totally forgotten for the moment, he took off his glasses, and quickly fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. Outside, the sky was turning glorious shades of pink and purple, as the sun lit up the street with rays of sunshine. The neighborhood looked innocent, and perfectly normal. No one would ever suspect anything at all had happened at Privet Drive that night.

* * *

By the time Harry had gotten up, the Dursleys, his abominable relatives, had all woken up, and were eating breakfast. Half the kitchen was barely visible under the mounds and mounds of bacon and eggs and toast that were meant for Dudley. 

Last year, Dudley had to finally go on a diet because he was so fat he couldn't fit into any of the uniforms at Smeltings, the private school he went to. He had, in the end, lost enough weight so that he finally fit into the largest uniform (just barely). But, ever since then, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had been so proud of their ickle duddleykins for losing weight that they coddled him so much, Harry could see that he was gaining back all the weight he had lost. Harry sat down at the table, helping himself to a piece of toast. Uncle Vernon was reading the morning paper, complaining loudly about every other sentence written in it. Aunt Petunia was busy making even more breakfast for Dudley. Harry just sat there, eating his piece of toast silently. 

Uncle Vernon was just getting started on a long, winded tirade about how much the price of gas had gone up, when the telephone rang. Uncle Vernon stopped talking and snatched it up. 

"Vernon Dursley speaking," he said. 

Harry paid no attention to this, as Uncle Vernon was always getting phone calls from business people, and fellow employees at Grunnings, whom he complained together with. It seemed to be favorite hobby of his. Harry returned to his toast.

"Oh yes…has he?" said Uncle Vernon in a malicious sort of voice. Harry looked up to find Uncle Vernon's beady little eyes boring into his. 

"Yes…yes, of course you can speak to him". Uncle Vernon covered the mouthpiece of the phone while saying to Harry. "It's a Professor Mc-something. Seems you've gotten into trouble at that blasted school, eh boy? She wants to talk to you about scheduling some detentions or some kind of punishment of that sort." Harry gulped. He hadn't seen Uncle Vernon look this happy in months, so it must be something really horrible…but he hadn't done anything wrong over the summer! With a growing feeling of dread Harry took the phone from Uncle Vernon. The Dursleys were all staring at him, evil grins stretched across their vile faces. Harry turned around so they couldn't see him and nervously croaked "Hello?"

"Harry! A familiar voice said, "It's Hermione! No, don't say anything yet, let me explain. I pretended to be Professor McGonagall and I said you were in trouble so I had to talk to you! Just remember, you still have to pretend you're talking to a teacher or else your aunt and uncle will know it's not a teacher."

"Oh, er, right, Professor McGonagall." Harry said, relief spreading through him. He chanced half a glance over his shoulder at the Dursleys. They were all looking intently at him, trying to listen in on the conversation. They obviously thought it really _was _Professor McGonagall, and that he was getting in big trouble.

"Harry," Hermione continued, "I'm really sorry I haven't talked to you sooner. I couldn't find an owl to use to write you, and I've been…busy…with…people…" she trailed off vaguely. Then she cleared her throat and started talking again. 

"Well I've only just gotten a letter from Ron. I wrote back and asked him for your phone number.

Anyway," Hermione continued, "You haven't been down to Diagon Alley yet, have you?--No of course not, what am I saying? I was thinking, maybe you could come over to my house to stay for the rest of the holidays, and we could go down to Diagon Alley together. Maybe with Ron too." 

"That would be gre—um…ok." Harry replied aware that the Dursleys were attempting to listen to his every word. 

"But how am I going to get there?" he said, choosing his words carefully.

"Oh, right…." There was a moment of silence. Harry could just imagine Hermione thinking hard about this. Sure enough, she had come with a solution.

"Oh Harry, I've got it! You can use the Knight Bus!" Harry just stood there for a moment, stunned. The answer was so simple he didn't know why he hadn't thought of it right away! 

"Of course! Brilliant Hermione!" he whispered under his breath making sure no one else could hear him. 

"I'll say I have to leave early for…detention." Harry realized he was taking an awfully long time on the phone for a teacher to assign a detention, so Harry raised his voice.

"I'll see you tonight at 7:00 PM tonight, right?" 

"Right," said Hermione, "At Flourish and Blotts in Diagon Alley. Bye Harry!" Harry hung up the phone. He stood there for a minute, fighting the urge to jump up and shout for joy. He was leaving the Dursleys! Finally! And they were sure to let him go if they thought he was leaving for detention! Harry restrained himself, and forced a pained look onto his face. He turned around to look at the Dursleys. They were all looking at him, rather evil looks on their faces. Uncle Vernon was the first to speak. 

"Gotten into trouble eh? Have to leave early for your detentions? WELL WE'RE NOT GOING TO DRIVE YOU! If you don't show up, you'll be even bigger trouble with that…that ruddy school. They might even expel you!" 

Cackling with glee, Uncle Vernon turned and stormed out of the kitchen. As soon as they all left, Harry was tempted to start laughing. They thought there were no other ways of getting to Hogwarts! Well, he would show them! As soon as they were in their bedrooms, he would sneak out and use the Knight Bus, just as they he and Hermione had planned.

Harry made sure to look angry and depressed when he went up the stairs and back into his room. He closed the door and quietly started to pack his belongings into his trunk. He had just closed Hedwig's cage (Hedwig was off hunting) when he heard Aunt Petunia announcing dinnertime. He went downstairs, remembering to still look angry, and keeping up the charade that he was miserable over the fact that he might be expelled. Harry managed to look gloomy through dinner. Or at least he thought he must have, because no one questioned him at all. 

When dinner was over Harry made sure to trudge slowly back into his room, instead of skipping, which was what he felt like doing. He would be leaving the Dursleys in a few short hours!

Once he was inside and had closed the door, he found that Hedwig was back. She was just sitting on the desk, tilting her head and staring at her cage, which was locked and sitting on top of Harry's now-packed suitcase. 

"Oh," Harry said. "You're back, Hedwig. That reminds me. I wanted to write a letter to Ron." He sat down, took out his very last piece of parchment, a quill and inkbottle.

He started writing, stopping every once in a while to make sure the Dursleys couldn't hear his quill scratching on the parchment. When he was done, he put away his quill and began to re-read the letter.

_Dear Ron,_

_Why haven't you written to me all_

_summer__? _I _haven't written to you only_

_because__ the Dursleys have forbidden_

_Hedwig__ from delivering letters.__ But since_

_I'm going to be leaving tonight it won't really_

_matter__ if they catch me. Are you going_

_to__ be staying at Hermione's also? She didn't_

_say__ when she called me. I'm going to take_

_The Knight Bus to Diagon Alley and then I'm_

_meeting__ Hermione there. Maybe I'll see you there._

_- _Harry

"Feeling up to a short trip?" Harry said to Hedwig. Hedwig hooted. Harry took that as a yes and folded the letter up and tied it to Hedwig's leg. 

"I'll be at Hermione's when you get back ok?" Harry told Hedwig. She hooted again and then soared out the open window. Harry watched her glide silently across the yard until she was out of sight. He glanced at the clock. It was time to leave! He tiptoed to the door and quietly opened it. The Dursleys seemed to all be in their bedrooms.

_This is it,_ Harry thought. He closed the door again silently and turned to drag his trunk across the room. Then, he opened the door again. He peered outside into the hallway making sure the coast was still clear. No one was there. Harry turned the trunk on its side and began pulling it into the hallway. 

Harry got to the stairs without any mishap. Now this would be the tricky part, maneuvering it down the stairs. Harry pushed it slowly so that it's end rested on the first stair. Then, ever so carefully he eased it down a couple of stairs, making sure it didn't make any bumping noises. He did this the whole way down, moving it just a couple stairs at a time. By the time he got his trunk to the bottom, he was sweating, and slightly out of breath from the effort.

Suddenly, he remembered that Hedwig's cage was still in his room. Quietly, he climbed up the stairs again and into his room. He grabbed the cage and rushed back downstairs with it as quietly as he could. Now that the hard part was over, all he had to do was drag it out of the house and then he would be free! 

However, Harry soon learned, this wasn't as simple as it sounded. By the time Harry had pulled the trunk outside, he was running late. Panting, and out of breath, he pulled his trunk to the end of the driveway. He opened it and fumbled around inside, groping for his wand. It was now dark, so he wasn't afraid that anyone would see him. He found his wand, nestled between two books and took it out. Taking a deep breath he raised his right hand--then quickly put it back down. The last time he had used the Knight Bus, it practically run right over him when it was coming. He decided to step onto the lawn, just in case. He again raised his right hand, clutching his wand, and this time he didn't put it down. 

Nothing happened. Harry looked around, confused. He stuck out his wand again…nothing. Harry was getting more and more confused by the second. Not to mention worried. Without the Knight Bus how was he going to get to Diagon Alley? Harry tried again. 

Still nothing. Maybe he was doing something wrong? He switched the wand to his left hand, even though he wasn't sure why. Again, nothing happened. Harry was now very anxious. He was stuck in the darkness with a heavy trunk and nothing else. Maybe…it was running late? Feeling stupid, Harry stuck out his hand, clutching the wand in his outstretched for a full five minutes. Still, nothing happened. Harry sighed. He supposed his only option would be to try and sneak back into the house, hoping that no one would notice him. The idea wasn't satisfying. Hopefully, Harry stuck out his wand hand once more, just in case. 

Out of nowhere came a flash of blinding green light. Harry heard a evil laugh…He wasn't sure if it was real or if he was imagining it. All he could see was the green light. Then, the green light and the cackling started growing dimmer and dimmer…suddenly all Harry could see was blackness…all around him… 


	2. Arabella Figg

"Harry…" said a faint voice. "Harry…wake up. HARRY!" Harry opened his eyes. Everything was a bit blurry around the edges—someone must have taken his glasses off for him. He felt around for them and saw them on a table nearby, He snatched them up and put them on. Everything came into focus now. He looked wildly around. Everything looked unfamiliar. He turned around and gave a strangled yell. It was Mrs. Figg! 

"Mrs. Figg!" Harry gasped, "What are you doing here?" He looked around again. This was _her _house! What was _he _doing _here?_ What had happened? Suddenly Harry remembered. He had been trying to escape the Dursleys! Where was his trunk? How was he going to explain being out in the dark with a trunk full of magic books and spells? Harry started to feel a little bit dizzy. His head spun with questions. It was as if Mrs. Figg could read his mind.

"This isn't the time for questions." She snapped. Harry then realized he lying on a couch. He leaned on one elbow and pushed himself up. A wave of dizziness swept over him. Then, Mrs. Figg was leaning over him, forcing him back down. 

"What do you think you are doing?" She said forcing him to lie down at the same time, "Out in the middle of the street with a big heavy trunk?" _Wait_… Harry thought. His head was starting to clear. He was calling the Knight Bus, but it hadn't come…then he had seen a green light…everything had gone black. 

"What…happened?" He said slowly. 

"That's a good question. All I know is that I was walking outside for my daily evening walk when I stumbled over you, lying there in the grass. 

Naturally, I brought you inside. Just five minutes later you came round when I called you." Harry lay there silently, thinking thoughtfully. 

"I was trying to, er, _leave_ the Dursleys…Then there was a flash and I…I"

"You fainted." Mrs. Figg said smartly. "What were you trying to do, stuck out in the middle of the road with your wand out?"

"I was trying to call the Knight Bus." Harry explained. "I was going to take it to Diagon Alley and then meet Hermione there and buy new supplies for the start of the term at Hogwarts…" Suddenly Harry realized something. Mrs. Figg was a Muggle! How did she know he was holding a wand? And he just blurted out to her about being a wizard! Harry looked over at Mrs. Figg. To his great surprise, she was nodding. 

"I figured as much," She sighed, "Always running away." Harry gaped at her. 

"You…know…you know about…about…" He stammered. "

"Yes, I most certainly _do _know about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She smiled at Harry's shocked face. "Harry, I would have thought you guessed by now but apparently not, " she said cautiously, 

"I am a witch."

Harry's jaw dropped…Mrs. Figg? A witch? But…she was the old lady who had a rather unhealthy obsession with cats…why didn't she tell him? How was he supposed to have guessed? Harry contemplated the thought for a minute…now that he thought about it, it wasn't that surprising. 

He supposed it was no coincidence that they day she broke her leg was the day he first did magic and talked to the snake. Wasn't that what had started the whole thing? And it would be so convenient for her to 'break' her leg, and then because of her absence, realized he was a wizard…Of course! 

And just last year, Dumbledore had mentioned something about the 'old crowd'. He had mentioned an Arabella Figg!

"You're…Arabella Figg" Harry said slowly.

"Indeed, I am." Mrs. Figg said smiling. Harry now realized that she was acting very differently than all the times he had come to stay with her on Dudley's birthday. The years before, when Harry had come to stay at her home, she always seemed a bit…senile. But now, she didn't seem like that at all. 

"I supposed you have a lot of questions about me," She said sagely. 

"Although I can say now that I may not be able to answer all of them, those questions that are not answered, you will find out in the end. I promise you." Harry felt strongly reminded of Dumbledore. He asked the question that was annoying him the most.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" 

Mrs. Figg sighed. "I cannot tell you the whole story. Not today. Someday you will know but for now, you must try and be content with my answer." 

Her eyes grew misty with remembrance. "14 years ago, when your parents were killed, and you alone had survived, Dumbledore knew that Voldemort would be after you. He also knew that just staying at the Dursleys wasn't nearly enough protection. So, he decided to station one of us nearby, to keep watch on you at all times when you were with the Dursleys. I, he decided, was the best person to station there out of the Order. So, you see, ever since then, I have been acting the part of a neighbor. At times I have been instructed to guide you, though, of course, it had to be without your knowledge."

"Like with the boa constrictor," Harry mumbled, thinking out loud. 

"Exactly. Have you ever wondered why Voldemort never attacked you while at Privet Drive? You are more protected than you will ever know. Long ago, Dumbledore devised ways of keeping you safe in the Muggle world. I am just one of those ways to make sure you are safe."

"But why tell me now?" asked Harry. "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Dumbledore instructed me to tell you last year. He thought that you should know especially after the events that occurred. He told me to wait for the right time. Well, I have been waiting all summer, and I surmised that today would be a good day, especially after running into you like that." Her eyes twinkled, as Dumbledore's often did. Harry nodded. 

"What's 'the Order'" Harry asked. Mrs. Figg looked at him.

"The Order of the Phoenix is a group of wizards and witches who fight the Dark Arts. I am a member. I cannot tell you too much about us. I suspect Dumbledore will tell you when he thinks you are ready."

"And," Harry said timidly, "A final question?"

"Yes Harry?"

"Why am I so well protected? Why am I so important to everyone? I know that Voldemort wanted to kill me after what happened, but why does he want to kill me so much? Why did he kill my Mum and Dad in the first place?"

Mrs. Figg sighed. 

"I cannot tell you that Harry. I am sorry. You will learn someday. But for now, you must be patient."

Harry just sat there. Why wouldn't anyone tell him why his parents had died? Didn't he have the right to know? However, Harry didn't say anything further to Mrs. Figg. He knew that it would do no good. He would just have to accept what he got. 

Harry was lost in thought, when suddenly he realized something. He was supposed to have been at Diagon Alley with Hermione five minutes ago! 

"Er, Mrs. Figg?" Harry said, "I was supposed to have met Hermione at Diagon Alley. D'you think…" Mrs. Figg frowned. 

"Are you sure you're feeling alright?" 

"I'm feel fine!" Harry insisted. Mrs. Figg smiled slightly.

"Well if you insist," she said. Harry was just wondering what she was talking about when she took out a can from behind a bookshelf. She held it out to him. Harry peered inside. It was a canister of Floo Powder. 

Harry took some nervously. Floo Powder had never been his favorite way to travel, but he supposed he had no other choice. He threw a pinch into the fire that Mrs. Figg had just lit. The flames turned blue and roared higher than ever. Harry turned to Mrs. Figg. 

"Thank you," he said formally. "Maybe I'll see you again soon." Mrs. Figg smiled fondly.

"You can count on it," Harry barely had time to register what that meant when Mrs. Figg was giving him his trunk and shooing him into the fire. 

Once he was in it, he commanded "Diagon Alley!" The flames roared louder than ever. Harry turned to wave to Mrs. Figg but before he could even raise his arm, he started turning very fast, whipping around in the blue flames.


	3. Hermione's House

Harry spun faster and faster. He opened his eyes a sliver to look, then instantly wished he hadn't. The view of blurred fireplaces and rooms was making him feel sick. He kept his eyes tightly shut, wishing for it to be over. 

Then, he felt himself gradually slowing down. Harry opened his eyes just in time to keep himself from falling out face first onto the floor. Gingerly, he dusted himself off, then pulled his trunk out of the fireplace. He dragged it on its end and walked into the middle of the room, looking around to see where he was. 

The walls were stacked from floor to ceiling with books of various sizes and shapes. Harry recognized this place. He was in Flourish and Blotts, a large wizard shop right in Diagon Alley. That meant that he should be meeting Hermione right here. Dragging his heavy trunk, Harry walked out of the store and stood in front of it, scanning the crowd for Hermione. He heard a shout from behind him

"Harry!" Harry turned around and saw Hermione Granger running toward him. 

"Hermione," Harry said with relief, when Hermione had reached him, "You won't believe what's happened. The Knight Bus didn't come when I was trying to flag it down, but it didn't work. Then..." Harry trailed off. Hermione's parents had arrived, panting slightly. 

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Harry said politely. Mr. and Mrs. Granger said hello and greeted him rather nervously. Harry turned to Hermione. 

"I'll tell you later" He whispered under his breath. Hermione, looking very curious, nodded at him.

"How'd you get here?" Harry asked Hermione. 

"Oh, we drove." Hermione replied. She turned to her Mrs. Granger. "Mum, could Harry and I go buy our school supplies? We could meet you back here in an hour." After they had given their consent, Harry gave Mr. Granger his trunk, to put into the car. Harry and Hermione went back into Flourish and Blotts to purchase their new schoolbooks. 

"Rather nervous, aren't they?" Harry said to Hermione. 

"Oh, who my parents? No, there's usually not like that. It just since they're both Muggles, and you're a wizard." 

Harry stared blankly at her.

"They're just afraid that magic people look down on them, you know, since they're Muggles. You know, like how You-Know-Who looked down on Muggleborns." Hermione explained bitterly. Now Harry understood. He vowed to be nicer to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. Hermione jolted him out of his thoughts.

"So, what were you going to tell me?"

"Oh, right" Harry said. He quickly filled Hermione in on what happened, including Mrs. Figg telling him that she was a witch. Hermione, however, was more concerned about the fact that he had fainted. 

"What was it that made you pass out?" Hermione said thoughtfully. 

"I don't know," Harry said irritably. "All I know is that I saw a blinding flash of green light."

"That's it?" Hermione prompted. "Nothing else." 

"No Hermione, nothing else!" But then…a memory came into his head. A horrible cackle…high and …evil. 

"Wait" said Harry slowly, "I thought I heard a someone laughing. I thought maybe I was imagining it." Hermione's eyes widened. "Do you think it could have been You-Know-Who?" She said in a hushed voice, "I mean, with the green light and all?"

"Hermione," Harry said again. "Why don't we talk about this with Ron later. Is he going to be staying at your house also?"

"I think so," Hermione said. Harry noticed that her cheeks flushed a little, but he didn't say anything. 

For the rest of the hour they looked around the shops and bought all their school supplies. It was very dark outside by the time they were done. 

As planned, Hermione and Harry met with Mr. and Mrs. Granger. They climbed into their car, and they were off. By the time they reached Hermione's neighborhood, Hermione's parents had warmed up to Harry considerably. They didn't look nervous at every mention of him anymore. 

Slowly, they drove into a normal-looking street. It looked a bit like Privet Drive. The car slowed as they approached Hermione's house. 

Harry had never seen Hermione's house before so he craned his neck, trying to get a look. They stopped in front of it and everyone got out. It was a pretty house, but somehow Harry felt disappointed…he had expected it to be like The Burrow for some reason…it was, of course, a normal Muggle house, considering that Hermione's parents were Muggles. It looked nothing at all like The Burrow, the only wizard house Harry been in before. Hermione's house was painted light blue with white shutters. It looked about the same size as the Dursleys house. It was just so…plain and…ordinary.

Harry got over his disappointment quickly. Together, they dragged Harry's trunk into the house. Inside, everything was sparkling clean, Not one speck of dust could be seen anywhere.   
"Does your house always look like this?" Harry said to Hermione out of the corner of his mouth.

"Look like what?" 

Harry just stared at the perfectly white, clean surfaces of everything.

"What?" Hermione said indignantly.

"Uh…this _clean_," Harry said, trying not to laugh at how offended she had gotten.

"How would I be able to concentrate on schoolwork if everything was cluttered and disorganized?" Hermione said in a shocked tone of voice. Harry chose not to answer. They went through the living room and up the stairs. They both carried a side of Harry's trunk and got it up the stairs rather quickly and dragged it into Hermione's room. 

"Well…this is my room," Hermione said, sweeping her hand around casually. When Harry saw it, his jaw dropped open. The room was immaculate. _Nothing _was out of place. Everything was so shiny that Harry expected he could see his reflection on her bedside table. There was barely even anything in it, and everything was white. There was a bed in the corner with a flowered bedspread, perfectly folded, of course. Next to the bed was a bedside table with a white lamp on it. On the other side of the room there was a small chest of drawers, white of course. Across the room from that there was a large writing desk. There was parchment stacked in neat piles and inkbottles lined up in rows of two. A few quills rested beside them.

"Where am I supposed to sleep?" Harry had stopped goggling at the spotless room to ask Hermione. 

"Well I was thinking that you and Ron could use some sleeping bags and sleep on the floor. Is that ok?" 

"Yeah…sure, fine" Harry replied. "When is Ron getting here?"

"He didn't say a time. Just sometime today." As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Harry and Hermione looked at each other "Ron!" They said together. 

They rushed downstairs and flung open the front door. Sure enough, there was Ron Weasley, still freckled, and still tall and still gangly. He was clutching the handle of an ancient trunk, which seemed ready to fall apart at the seams any second. Harry helped him drag the trunk inside. 

"Why haven't you written to me all summer long?" Harry demanded, the moment he was inside. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley talking to Hermione's parents. He gave Mrs. Weasley a wave then tuned his attention back to Ron.

"It was a stupid family trip," said Ron. "We had to drive all the way up to Belleau Wood because Mum had to go visit her second cousin, who's a Muggle. She said that the whole family had to go. She was a Muggle, so she didn't have any owls or anything, so I couldn't write you, sorry. We stayed there practically the whole summer." Ron scowled. "I'm just lucky she let me come here at all." Silently, Harry gave a sigh of relief. He thought that maybe Ron had stopped writing to him because of what had happened last summer. Both Ron and Hermione had been treating him a little bit strangely, as if he might break and crack into a thousand pieces at any time afterward. Hermione brought Harry out of his thoughts.

"Why don't we bring your er..._trunk_ upstairs?" Harry couldn't help it, he started to laugh. Hermione was eyeing Ron's old trunk as if it was a dog that had stepped in something…unpleasant. Harry could see why too. It was covered with soot and dust. Harry could just imagine dragging that into Hermione's sparkling clean room. 

"Do you think you could…erm, dust it off first?" Hermione said offhandedly.

"Why?" asked Ron.

"Well…it's a bit…dirty," Hermione said.

"Does everything have to be perfectly clean for you?" Ron retorted.

"Well, no, but I _do _like to keep my room clean...unlike _some _people."

"Well at least _my _room doesn't have to be spotless!"

"My room doesn't _have_ to be spotless…"

Harry sighed, listening to them bicker. But still, he couldn't help but keep on smiling. The summer was definitely looking better now. He had another two Dursley-free weeks, and he would be spending the rest of the summer with his two best friends. Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione again. ("At least _I'm _not a nutter who wants every speck of dust cleaned up…" "Well _you're _the one who's staying at _my _house, so you should do as _I_ say…") 

__

Everything is back to normal, Harry thought happily. 

* * *

The next week or so that Harry spent with Hermione and Ron was the happiest he'd had in a while. Not once in the middle of the night did he wake up, breathing heavily and sweating, terrified from nightmares of Voldemort. This was a welcome change from the cold, lonely nights at the Dursleys. Hermione's parents turned out to be very nice. The only thing was that they made Hermione, Ron and Harry floss and brush their teeth just about every twenty minutes. 

It was a couple of days before the beginning of the term started when Harry realized that he hadn't told Ron what had happened with the Knight Bus. He hadn't really wanted to dwell on it too much, but he knew had to tell Ron. It just happened to be a rainy day, and they had nothing to do. So, Harry took Hermione and Ron aside after dinner, and the three of them locked themselves in Hermione's room. Harry and Hermione told Ron the whole story, from beginning to end. 

Ron's reaction was about the same as Hermione's. He was more worried about Harry losing consciousness than about the Knight Bus not arriving. Harry, who was getting impatient over being fussed over on why he fainted, said to Ron, "Well, what do you suppose happened to the Knight Bus?" Ron looked amazed. 

"You mean you didn't know? I thought that you knew or else I would've told you ages--"

"Know what?" Harry interrupted. Ron continued as if he hadn't heard him.

"I suppose you don't get the Daily Prophet with the Muggles, but I assumed you would've heard somewhere along the road,"

"RON," said Harry, whose patience had been running thin. "Know what?"

"Hermione, why didn't you tell him?" Ron asked, "Unless you don't know either...which in that case, I would've thought you should have known at least I know your parents are Muggles, but at least they don't keep you from the magical world, like the Dursleys--"

"RON! KNOW WHAT?!" Harry and Hermione shouted together.

"Oh, right," Ron said sheepishly, "I supposed I got a bit carried away there. Well, it's been all over the Daily Prophet for the last couple weeks. There were two couples in Bath the other night who tried to flag the Knight Bus down, but it never came. They both reported it to the Ministry. Anyway, they did some research on it, and they found out that the Knight Bus was stolen."

"Stolen?" Harry repeated. "Why would anyone want to steal a bus? I mean, I know it's magical and everything, but really…a bus?" 

"Well," Ron explained wisely, "Nowadays, everyone gets worried about everything, just in case You-Know-Who's behind it, I mean ever since he returned to full power--" He broke off abruptly when Hermione elbowed him in the side. His face started turning red until he looked like a tomato with a wig on. Harry was getting slightly annoyed. 

"Look, you can talk about Voldemort around me!" Ron and Hermione flinched at the name, but Harry paid no attention. "I'm not going to break into pieces, or burst into tears ok?"

"Of course Harry, we're sorry," Hermione said hurriedly, "it's just that what happened to you was so awful, we just don't really want to have you thinking about it all the time."

"I'M FINE" Harry said indignantly. "You can talk about Voldemort around me!"

Harry stopped. 

"Ok, sorry. I know you're just trying to help, but it's _not_ helping, so please, just talk about whatever you want about me." Hermione gave him a quivery smile, and Ron just kind of sat there staring at Hermione looking lost in thought. "So Ron," Harry said, changing the subject, "What were you saying?" Ron jerked out of his daydream. 

"What…Oh, right…I was saying that everyone is very alert about even little things, because You-Know-Who might be behind it." He looked a little bit uneasy.

"Ok, that's enough about the Knight Bus" Hermione butt in, " Now why did Harry pass out?" 

"Maybe I did something with my wand without knowing it…" Harry mused. "Some sort of spell or something?"

"Then wouldn't the Ministry be after you for using magic?" Hermione said sensibly. She lowered her voice, as if there were people with their ears pressed up against the door, listening to every word she said. 

"Harry, did your scar hurt at all?" she asked anxiously

"No, I don't think so," Harry said, concentrating on that day. He had heard the evil laughing voice, and then everything had gotten dimmer… he didn't recall any pain. 

"Oh, that's good then, right?" said Ron, in a relieved tone of voice, "That means You-Know-Who wasn't nearby, at least." 

Harry shrugged. "Maybe," he said evasively. "Anyway, Mrs. Figg told me I was 'more protected than I would ever know'. Shouldn't Vol-sorry, You-Know-Who, know that too? And if he knew that, why bother trying to attack me if I have all this 'protection'?"

Hermione thought for a moment. 

"Well, maybe he thought he was more powerful than all the spells or enchantments or whatever it is."

"Let's just hope not," Harry mumbled. He was now thoroughly sick of talking about why he had passed out. 

"For all I know, I was so shocked that the Knight Bus didn't come that I had lost consciousness. Or maybe the green light was so bright that it just made me faint. Besides, my scar didn't hurt, so Voldemort couldn't have been nearby."

Hermione and Ron flinched again at the sound of his name.

"But what if it wasn't You-Know-Who, what if it was…say, Wormtail? Then your scar wouldn't hurt…" Hermione said in a hushed voice. "And anyway, where did the green light come from at all?"

"I probably just imagined it," Harry said quickly. His stomach lurched. He hadn't imagined it at all; deep down he knew that. He also didn't imagine the high, evil laughter. What if Voldemort really had been there? After the all, when Dumbledore said his scar hurt when Voldemort was nearby, it was still just a theory, not a fact…However, Harry didn't share his worries. They would just keep on talking and talking about it, something he didn't want.

"Anyway," Harry said loudly, "Nothing bad happened afterward."

Ron and Hermione got the subtle little hint. They exchanged glances. 

"So," said Hermione, doing a screeching subject change, "How is…Dudley doing?" 

Harry suddenly remembered what had happened with Hermione's phone call. 

"Ron, did I tell you what happened with Hermione's phone call? She pretended to be Professor McGonagall who called to tell me I was in trouble…" Harry explained the whole thing to him. He listened wide-eyed to the whole thing.

"Wow, Hermione, that was a really good idea," He marveled. "I wish I thought of that! Maybe now we can call more often…" He trailed off.

"And say that I'm in trouble every time?" Harry said skeptically. "The Dursleys would figure it out sooner or later." 

For the rest of the night the three of them discussed ways of how to call Harry, and get him to stay next time. The possibilities got sillier and sillier. Ron said to kidnap Dudley for little while, then run and get Harry while the Dursleys were away looking for him. Hermione scoffed at this and said they should simply drive to the Dursleys, ring the doorbell and explain that they would like to bring Harry over to their house. Ron nearly laughed himself silly over that one. He had seen, firsthand, how Uncle Vernon behaved around wizards last year. They talked into the night, warm and contented, while outside, the rain pounded against the windows and the wind blew through the trees.


	4. The Return of Lupin

The last few days at Hermione's house passed without any great incident. For the remainder of the week, Harry, Hermione and Ron lounged around, talking, playing games and occasionally discussing the Knight Bus. 

Finally, it came to the last day of the summer break. Harry was looking forward to the school year at Hogwarts. However, since they were now in fifth year, they would be taking their O.W.L.s (Ordinary Wizarding Level). And although there was still quite some time until the end of the term, Hermione had already started drawing herself up a study schedule, and insisted that Harry and Ron do the same. Ron had stared incredulously at her, amazed. He insisted there was plenty of time for that later, and they had gotten into another squabble.

Harry, who had agreed with Ron, had promised Hermione that they would think about it later in the year, and they had stopped bickering. 

On the morning they were to leave, everyone got up especially early. However, it seemed like they still had a lot to do. People rushed here and there, gathering last minute things to be packed, and bumping into one another. Finally, at around 10:00 AM, everything had been packed into the back of the Grangers' van. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat side by side, while Mrs. and Mr. Granger sat up in the front. It was around quarter to eleven when they arrived at King Cross Station. Harry, Ron and Hermione each lifted their trunks onto carts, and wheeled them over to the barrier between platforms 9 and 10. Hermione checked her watch, and announced that it was about time. She hugged her parents goodbye, while Ron and Harry awkwardly thanked the Grangers. 

Then, with a wave of farewell, all three of them leaned against the barrier, chatting casually. In a second, they slid through into the other side, and onto Platform 9¾. A grin stretched across Harry's face as he turned round the corner and saw the familiar scarlet steam engine, with smoke billowing out the top. The three of them walked over to the door and helped each other carry their big heavy trunks up the steps and into an empty compartment. They had just sat down, and started to talk when the compartment door flew open. It was Crabbe and Goyle, Draco Malfoy's large henchmen. They scowled and then shut the door again. They had obviously thought it was an empty compartment. Ron snorted. 

"Is it just me, or are they getting stupider and stupider every year? I mean, the look on their faces…" Hermione looked deep in thought as Ron laughed. 

"Where was Malfoy?" She said slowly. "You would've thought he would have come along just to insult us." Ron stopped laughing. "Hey, maybe he's finally been kicked out!" 

"I doubt it," Hermione replied. "He probably didn't realize we're in here." Harry frowned. He had been hoping that Draco had been expelled, or went to a different school, or _something._

Again, the compartment door flew open again. This time it was Neville Longbottom, a clumsy, forgetful boy in Harry's year. His round face was flushed red with excitement.

"Have you heard?" he said excitedly, "Draco's gone to Durmstrang!" There was a moment of stunned silence. 

"Wait, are you sure?" Ron breathed, looking like all his dreams had just come true,

"He's _gone?_ For good?" Neville nodded excitedly. "That's why Crabbe and Goyle are by themselves!" A grin stretched across Harry's face yet again. He was so happy he felt like doing a jig! Draco was gone! 

Just then the train started to pull out of the station.

"Oh!" Neville said with surprise. "I have to go back to my compartment! I'll see you later, Harry!" Neville turned to leave, then promptly fell over and into Ron's lap when the train lurched. He gathered himself and practically sprinted to the door, his face now brilliantly pink. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione.   
"Can you believe it?" Harry said to them.

"Never thought the day would come!" Hermione also had a grin on her face. "_Finally,_ after all those years, he's gone!" Ron nodded in agreement. 

"Now all we have to do is get rid of Snape" he joked. 

For a minute or two they just sat there, a contented silence in the air. Harry looked out the window at the green scenery rushing past. _No more Draco!_ He thought again. The year was looking like it would turn out to be better and better. If only Snape would get sacked, then the year would be perfect! 

For the rest of the trip Harry, Ron and Hermione talked amongst themselves after they had changed into their school robes. They were just discussing who might be Quidditch captain for Gryffindor when the train started to slow.

"Are we already there?" asked Harry, looking at his watch. He glanced out the window and saw the familiar sight of Hogsmeade station. "That was fast." 

As the train doors opened, Harry, Hermione and Ron each took their trunks and dragged them out of the train. Harry looked around and heard a loud voice.

"Fir's years over here!" 

Harry spotted the familiar figure of Hagrid, with his shaggy head looming over everyone else's.

"HAGRID!" Harry shouted, "Over here!" Hagrid turned spotted Harry and a smiled widely. 

"'Arry!" He yelled, shouting over everyone's heads. "How's yer summer been?" 

"Same as usual, thanks," Harry shouted back. 

"I'll see at Hogwarts!" he added hastily as the crowd began pushing them farther and farther away. Hagrid nodded in return and started to gather up the new first years. Like last year, a hundred horseless carriages were waiting for the rest of the school. Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed into one of them, and they were off.

It wasn't long when Harry and could see the magnificent view of Hogwarts castle, looming closer with every step. Harry sighed with content as he stared at one of the castle's many turrets and towers. He was finally at Hogwarts. It was only now that he felt truly safe from the green flash and Voldemort. But he wasn't going to think about that now. Harry was silent as the carriage pulled up to the entrance and stopped. Harry, Ron and Hermione jumped off and ran up the stone steps, through the entrance hall and into the Great Hall. It was looking grand, as usual, with the candles suspended in the air, and the hundreds and hundreds of golden plates and forks and spoons sparkling in the light. 

Harry immediately looked toward the staff table, looking for a new face. Spotting the new teachers, Harry's eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped. Dumbstruck, he elbowed Ron in the stomach.

"OW! Harry, what're you--" Ron started to say. He stopped in mid-sentence when he saw who was sitting at the teacher's table. 

"Harry! Harry, it's…."  
"Lupin!"  
"Mrs. Figg!" 

They said at the exact same time. They both did a double take and looked again.  
"It _is_ Figg!"

"It _is_ Professor Lupin!" 

They had shouted together again. Suddenly, Harry looked wildly around.   
"RON!" he hissed. "NO SNAPE!" Ron went purple. "Are you serious?? NO Snape?!"

"Well do you see him?" 

Ron glanced around, a hopeful look on his face. 

"You're right!" Ron breathed. A look of pure bliss came over his face. "NO Draco and NO Snape!" Harry suddenly realized this also. It was like all his dreams had come true. Hermione was smiling widely, and looked ready to burst. Just then the door banged open, and Professor McGonagall walked in, leading the first years, who looked terrified. Professor Flitwick had just carried out the ancient looking Sorting Hat. The Great Hall fell silent, as everyone looked expectantly at the hat. The rip at the brim opened wide and it began to sing:

(A/N I'm too lazy to make up my own, so lets just pretend this is a new one, considering it's just the one from last year ^^)

A thousand years or more ago

When I was newly sewn

There lived four wizards or renown

Whose names are still well known.

Bold Gryffindor from wild moor,

Fair Ravenclaw from glen

Sweet Hufflepuff from valley broad,

Shrewd Slytherin from fen

They shared a wish, a hope, a dream

They hatched a daring plan

To educate young sorcerers

Thus Hogwarts School began.

Now each of these four founders

Formed their own house, for each

Did value different virtues

In the ones they had to teach

By Gryffindor, the bravest were

Prized far beyond the rest

For Ravenclaw the cleverest

Would always be the best

For Hufflepuff hark workers were 

Most worthy of admission

And power-hungry Slytherin 

Loved those of great ambition

While still alive they did divide

Their favorites from the throng

Yet how to pick the worthy ones

When they were dead and gone?

'Twas Gryffindor who found the way

He whipped me off his head  
The founders put some brains in me

So I could choose instead!

Now slip me snug about your ears

I've never yet been wrong

I'll have a look inside your mind

And tell where you belong!

The Great Hall burst into applause when the Sorting Hat had finished. Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a long scroll of parchment. She cleared her throat and announced. 

"Appleby, Olivia!"

A tall girl with black hair walked forward, looking ready to collapse. The hat was placed on her head. After a few seconds pause it shouted,

"RAVENCLAW!" 'Appleby, Olivia' slid off the stool, looking relieved and walked over to the Ravenclaw table, which was applauding her loudly. Professor McGonagall continued.

"Aurice, Alina!"

"SLYTHERIN!" 

Only the Slytherin table clapped this time.

"Begetta, Riza!"   
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

More applause sounded throughout the room.

"Berns, Amanda!"  
"RAVENCLAW!"

Louder clapping this time, and Harry could see Cho Chang, smiling widely and clapping along with the rest. Harry's stomach lurched, and he abruptly turned back to the Sorting. It was now sorting

"Blossom, Rose!"   
"GRYFFINDOR!" The Gryffindor table rang with applause, as Rose Blossom joined their table, smiling sheepishly. The Sorting continued in this vein for some time, and Harry, Ron and Hermione started getting restless. Soon, they were whispering to each other possible theories on what must have happened to Snape. Luckily, the Sorting was winding down now.

"Tautus, Quinn!"  
"GRYFFINDOR!"

Harry clapped loudly, along with the rest of Gryffindor.

"Wang, Allan!"

"SLYTHERIN!"

"Youlande, Greta!"

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

"Zimmermann, Kenneth!"  
"SLYTHERIN!"

And with a final clap, the Sorting had finished. Professor Flitwick had carried the Sorting Hat out of the hall as Dumbledore stood up from his seat at the staff table. He beamed at the crowd, as it gradually started getting quiet.

"Another year to begin…" He paused, looking lost in thought, and stared around at every face. 

"However, before we begin the feast, I have a few notices to give out. I think one will especially concern those members of the house Quidditch teams." He smiled as the whisperings suddenly diminished, and everyone was staring at him more intently. 

"Before I am to speak about that, however, let me first introduce two new teachers into our ranks this year. Professor Figg will be filling in for the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher." There was polite smattering of applause. (Only, Harry Ron and Hermione clapped really loudly) 

"And please welcome back Professor Lupin, who will be returning to teach Potions." Thunderous applause followed this announcement (most of it from the Gryffindors) filled the room. Dumbledore added,

"He will be filling in for Professor Snape temporarily." Harry and Ron frowned slightly, both of them thinking the same thing. Snape would be coming back? 

Dumbledore continued.

"My last bit of news is that this year, I am proud to say, Hogwarts will host the forty-fourth, International Quidditch Quest." Harry glanced at Fred and George, fellow members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. They looked as puzzled as he felt. Dumbledore began to explain.  
"The International Quidditch Quest is a competition of Quidditch against Wizarding schools from every part of the world. I have taken the liberty to enter Hogwarts into the tournament." This was received by thunderous applause. Dumbledore cleared his throat and went on. 

"Your 'Quest' will be to win the Quest Cup. This will not be easy, I daresay, because there are some excellent teams around the world. However, to even go that far, we must first have a house winner from Hogwarts, who will then compete against teams that have won for their school, from all over the world. Your Quidditch captain will give you more details when the time is right. Now, I say we enjoy the feast!"

The golden plates filled magically with food of every kind, and Harry, Ron and Hermione dug in. 

"How do they choose the Quidditch captains?" said Harry thoughtfully.

"I don't know," Ron said quickly. "But let's go talk to Lupin tomorrow."

"Mmm" Hermione mumbled, her mouth bulging with sprouts. For they rest of the feast, they just sat there, eating in silence while everyone around them chattered. 

When the feast was over, Harry, Ron and Hermione followed everyone else out of the Great Hall and into the entrance hall. Everyone set off for his or her own houses. Harry, Hermione and Ron walked up several staircases, through many doors that were hidden behind tapestries, and finally, in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady. Harry looked around, waiting for the Head Boy to tell everyone the password. 

"The password's 'Pecan Cheesecake' " said an unfamiliar voice. Harry looked around and spotted what must have been the new head boy. Harry had seen him in Gryffindor tower before, but had never talked to him. Someone must have said the password because just then, the Fat Lady swung open, and everyone scrambled inside. Once inside, Ron and Harry said goodbye to Hermione, and they each went up to their dorms. Harry and Ron climbed up the spiral staircase, now leading to the fifth year Gryffindors' beds. They walked in. Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, the other Gryffindor boys were already there. They must have been in their beds already because the drapings were drawn shut, and whisperings could be heard behind them.

"OY! SEAMUS!" Ron bellowed. The curtain at the far end rustled, and Seamus poked his sandy-haired head out. 

"Ron!" Seamus said happily, "And Harry! Haven't seen you for a while! What do you think about that 'Quidditch Quest, eh? Reckon Gryffindor's got a chance without Wood this year?"

"Of Course! We still have Harry!" Ron said proudly. Harry blushed, but grinned all the same. 

"See you in class tomorrow, Seamus," Harry said. Ron and Harry walked over to their trunks, which had already been brought up. They changed into their pajamas and crawled into their beds. Harry drew his draping shut, and Ron did the same. They continued to converse quietly through the growing darkness. 

"I wonder how they're going to choose the new members of the Quidditch team," Ron yawned. "I might go out for it, you know."

"Yeah," Harry said sleepily. "You should." And with that, he fell asleep.

The next morning was sunny, without a cloud in the sky. Harry woke up to an empty room. Apparently, everyone else had already gotten up. Harry, yawning and shivering slightly, pulled on his school robes and walked down into the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron and Hermione were already sitting there eating. Just then, Professor McGonagall came in and started to hand out new course schedules. When Harry got his, he ran his finger down the Monday column

"Care of Magical Creatures—We're still with the Slytherins! And Divination" Harry made a noise of disgust. "…Herbology with the Hufflepuffs, still..." He trailed off. 

"Well," said Ron, "Care of Magical Creatures won't be so bad. Malfoy won't be there, remember?"

"Oh, right!" Harry said happily, his spirits lifted. "Well, we have Transfiguration, Potions and Defense against the Dark Arts tomorrow. Those shouldn't be that bad, especially with Snape gone." Harry and Ron exchanged grins. 

Just then, there was rustling noise above them. Harry looked up to see hundreds of owls swooping into the Great Hall from the windows. He searched for a flash of white among the gray and brown. Suddenly, Hedwig came swooping down.

"Have you got any letters for me?"

Hedwig hooted. Harry glanced down at her leg, and saw nothing tied there. 

"Apparently not," Harry muttered. He turned to Ron as Hedwig soared away to the Owlery.

"Did you ever get my letter?" Harry asked him. 

"What letter?"

"I guess not," Harry said. "If I sent a letter to you when you weren't there, who would've taken it?"

"Probably Mum." Ron replied, starting again at his breakfast. 

After breakfast was over, Hermione, Harry and Ron made their way outside, down the sloping lawn and toward Hagrid's hut where Care of Magical Creatures was held. They arrived a bit early. Hagrid was already standing outside, struggling to keep hold of Fang's collar. Fang was his enormous black boarhound, who was currently straining at his leash to pounce at Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

"Hi Harry." He glanced up. "And Hermione an' Ron, " he added hastily. "Come inside to me house, I got summat ter show yeh!" Catching the looks on their faces, he added, "It's not anything dangerous!" Feeling relieved, Harry Ron and Hermione followed Hagrid into his hut. After letting Fang go, Hagrid pulled something in a box out from a shelf. Harry started to feel worried again…was it a kind of creature? What Hagrid considered not dangerous wasn't always what other would consider not dangerous…with an air of great importance, Hagrid set the box on the table and lifted up the cover. Harry, Ron and Hermione peered inside. There was a small golden badge, nestled in a red velvet lining. Etched into the badge were the words "The Order of the Phoenix". In slightly smaller letters it said "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus" and under that, in minute writing, was the words "Honorary Member". 

Harry just stared at it. That must have been the Order of the Phoenix Mrs. Figg had been talking about! Hagrid jolted Harry out of his thoughts.

"Olympe--Madame Maxime's been made an hon 'rary member too. Dumbledore's assigned us a special task." Hagrid's chest swelled with pride.

"But I can't tell yeh no more. No, not even you lot" 

Just then voices were audible from outside. 

"Must be the rest o' the class." Hagrid said. "I'll talk to yeh later 'bout it. I've got a real fun class coming up" He rushed outside, with Harry, Hermione and Ron following him. 

"Al'righ, Al'righ," He bellowed. "Class is startin' now!" He started to count heads. "Someone's missin'…Where's Malfoy?" 

"Durmstrang," Dean Thomas answered, sniggering. 

"Well, then," said Hagrid, who was trying to hide a grin. "Let's get started. I've got a treat fer the class today!" The class exchanged nervous looks. 

"Billywigs!" Hagrid said enthusiastically. The class looked blankly up at him. 

"Don't any of yeh know what they are?" Hagrid looked crestfallen. Suddenly, he straightened. 

"Alrigh', well then just read page four in your textbooks later," he said briskly. 

"Fer now, partner up inter groups o' three. We'll just be trying ter get 'em from them boxes over there, to them crates over here." With that, he turned and proceeded to walk over to the edge and watch them. Harry partnered up with Hermione and Ron. They peered into the box containing the Billywigs. They looked like little blue flies, buzzing this way and that. Moving the Billywigs was extremely annoying. They would fly everywhere, trying to avoid being caught. They reminded Harry a bit of the Pixies a memorable professor had brought into school one year. 

"OUCH! It stung me!" Hermione said angrily. Suddenly, she started to laugh hysterically. Ron, who looked quite terrified, said to her, "Erm, Hermione, are you alright?"

"I'm just—fine!" Hermione had burst into another giggling fit. Without warning, her feet flew off the ground until she was levitating a foot off the ground, while laughing quite merrily. Ron, who now looked very alarmed, ran to go get Hagrid. 

"Ah, tha's just the side effect of getting' stung," Hagrid said wisely. "It'll wear off in a minute or two." True to his word, In five minutes time, Hermione was back to normal. The three of them tried swatting, batting, catching, and occasionally squashing the Billywigs into the crates. Soon, everybody was getting stung. Every few minutes someone would break into fits of hysterical giggles, while zooming around the grounds. Harry, who was sweating slightly from trying to catch a particularly facetious Billywig, was glad when Hagrid announced the end of class. The three of them made their way back into the castle. Hermione rushed off to Arithmancy, while Ron and Harry went up to the North Tower for Divination. 

Harry and Ron had just settled themselves in seats next to the window when Professor Trelawney swept in. She looked about the same; her large glasses magnified her eyes several times their size, and many silver bracelets and necklaces dangled and clinked as she walked. As usual, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown where seated on poufs very close to her, for they deeply admired her. Professor Trelawney glided up to the front of the room and announced in a mysterious voice, 

"Today, we will be starting to read deeper into the signs of the planets. We will examine even closer how the planetary angle affects the stars closest to us. They will develop patterns in the way the angles are calculated, and therefore how they will affect the way the moon interacts with the stars of magnitude. Today, most _fascinating_, is the way Saturn is lined up in an exact 90 degree angle with Jupiter, whose…" Harry had stopped listening, and tuned out as he usually did. He stared out the window, and found himself looking at the wings of an escaped Billywig. He sat there watching it and daydreaming when Ron elbowed him in the side. Harry jerked out of his thoughts and looked around the class. Everyone was nodding, so Harry nodded too, having no clue what they were doing. 

"I will leave you to calculate the angles of all the planets on the day of your birth for the rest of the class." She walked gracefully to the back of the class and immersed herself in a book. 

"What are we doing?" Harry asked Ron. 

"A load of rubbish," Ron said. "We did this last year. I reckon she ran out of ways to predict your death, Harry, so she's just doing everything over again." Harry laughed uneasily. 

"So we just…calculate angles and stuff?" 

"…I think so." Ron said, after a moment's pause. The two boys set to work. Harry got the first few angles, but soon grew weary of the measuring and deciphering. Soon, Harry and Ron started to make everything up, what they usually did in Divination anyway. 

"Alright," Ron said after a long silence. "I've got all my angles done, how about you?" 

Harry hastily scribbled in a 180-degree angle and announced that he was also done. Ron pulled Harry's completed parchment toward him and started to read it over.

"Harry, you've got two 125-degree angles in here." Ron said helpfully. 

"Oh, better change it then." Harry was hurriedly scribbling in a different number when Professor Trelawney walked to the front of the room again. 

"I trust you are all finished?" She said in a voice that was barely above a whisper.

She turned so her back was facing Ron and said. 

"Now that we are done calculating the angles of the planets, we will be able to see what they mean. If your first angle was a 130-degree angle that means you are a gifted person with the forces of Divination." Parvati let out an excited squeal. Professor Trelawney smiled at her warmly and continued. 

"To those who are, _ahem_, less fortunate, it means that your inner eye may be in need of practice." 

Harry almost burst out laughing, and had to duck under the table to control himself. Professor Trelawney had said this with much waving of her arms, and Ron, who had been sitting behind her, had been imitating the way she was talking and waving her arms around. 

Putting on a straight face, he emerged from the table. Ron was sitting there, hands folded, an angelic expression on his face. Harry would've burst into laughter again, if it weren't for Professor Trelawney, who turned to him. She snatched the calculations of his angles off the table and started to mutter. 

"Oh goodness! 90-degrees…misfortune and adversity…Yes, I predicted as much, a 180-degree angle…accidents and hardships. Oh dear…32-degrees…distress and disaster…Dear, dear Mr. Potter this is not a pleasant map at all!" 

"Dear, dear," Ron said a high voice, very quietly, "This is not a pleasant map at all!"

Harry had to fight to keep a straight face. 

"Um--that's too bad," he said.

"It most certainly is!" Professor Trelawney insisted. "I would think you would be a bit more concerned about this! This is your future we're discussing!"

"Yeah, I probably should be," Harry said carelessly. 

Just the then, an echoing bell boomed around the school.

"Oh no, time for lunch!" Harry said, holding back a laugh. "See you later!" He and Ron practically sprinted into the hall. They slowed down as they approached the staircases leading down into the Great Hall.

"It's all a load of rubbish," Harry muttered fervently, as they walked into the Great Hall.

"That's what I said," Ron remarked. "Does the same thing year after year. You'd think she knew we've caught on by now." They sat down next to Hermione who was already there.

"How was Divination?" She asked brightly.

"Wonderful," Harry said, "Just wonderful."

"As usual," Ron chimed in. "And you?"

"You're not funny," Hermione said crossly.

They ate their lunch quickly, and when the afternoon bell rang, signifying the end of lunch, they made their way to their last class of the day, Herbology. Professor Sprout was already in the greenhouse, taking out a large box of dragon-hide gloves. 

"What're those for?" Ron questioned.

"Lesson," she grunted. "Would you care to help me put four pairs of these at each table?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione obeyed, and when they were done the whole class had arrived.

"Today," Professor Sprout shouted, over the noise, "We will be working with the Vineous Plantecor." She bent double, lifting something out from behind a wall.

"This," She indicated a plant she had just brought up, "Is a Vineous Plantecor." Harry's jaw dropped. The Vineous Plantecor was a tall green plant. It was normal looking—that is, until you got to the top part of it. The top part had a gaping mouth, lined with rows and rows of sharp teeth. It snapped ferociously, it's stem twisting while the jaw snapped threateningly. Professor Sprout continued talking as thought she had showed them nothing more exotic than a daisy. 

"You will be needing these dragon-hide gloves, for their bite can be quite painful, owning to their sharp teeth. We will be transposing them to the garden over there. They are especially useful in gardens…a bit like those Venus flytraps Muggles sometimes use…" She broke off. 

"Anyway, to subdue them you need to grab the back of its stalk. It will stop twisting and biting for a few minutes at a time, and that's when you must plant it into this garden. First, I'll give you a demonstration." She pulled on the gloves and turned to face the Vineous Plantecor. Quick as a flash, she grabbed the top part of the stalk. Almost instantaneously, it drooped, and it stopped biting. Professor Sprout pulled it by the roots out of the pot, and into the earth in the garden. In a minute or two, it woke up again and started trying to bite everything in sight. 

"And that, is how you do it." She clapped her hands briskly. 

"Lets get to work, everyone! Remember to work quickly, we have to get all 16 of them transplanted by the end of class!" Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville went to a table together. After they each pulled on a pair of gloves, they set to work.

Naturally, Hermione was the first out of all of them to transplant it. However, grabbing the back of the stalks was very difficult, and if it weren't for the gloves, Harry would've been in a considerable amount of pain indeed. 

Finally, when the plant had its back turned (did it have a back?) Harry managed to grab the stalk. Instantly, it drooped and subdued. Harry hurriedly pulled it out and buried the roots in the garden Professor Sprout had pointed to. 

"Harry--" Neville panted, when he had returned, "Would you help me with this?" Neville had tried unsuccessfully dozens of times to grab the stalk. Harry, who now knew how to catch it off guard, had it in a couple of minutes.

"Thanks Harry," Neville said gratefully after he had planted it next to his own. 

"Yeah, sure," Harry responded. They returned back to the table where Ron and was battling it out with his own Vineous Plantecor. 

"How—do—you—do—this?" Ron managed to say between breaths.

"Just wait until it's turned away from you, then just grab it quickly," Harry explained.

Ron waited, and had subdued it in a matter of seconds. 

"Wow, Harry, when did you get so smart?" Ron joked. Harry chose not to answer him. 

"Is everyone finished with their Vineous Plantecor?" Professor Sprout called. "Class is almost over, so work quickly now!" 

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Neville sat down at a table and watched everyone else struggle with their plants. Once Professor Sprout started helping people, the lesson was completed rather quickly.

"Homework!" She shouted, as everyone started to leave. "There is also one other way of subduing the Vineous Plantecor—please find that way, and explain to me in a short essay exactly how to use it!"

The class ended amid a chorus of moans and grumbling. They now had a free period before the started of dinner, so Harry, Hermione and Ron headed up to the Gryffindor Common Room to take a break. On their way up, Harry noticed a poster that was tacked to the wall. The three of them huddled around it and read to themselves. It was rather short, and was about the Gryffindor Quidditch team:

All Gryffindors who are interested in being a part of the Quidditch team may participate in a try-out tomorrow afternoon, during your free period. Please contact Professor McGonagall for further instructions.

Ron finished reading it, eyes gleaming.

"Do you think I should try out, Harry?" he asked eagerly. 

"Yeah, sure," Harry shrugged. "I think you would make it."

"Ok…" Ron muttered, mostly to himself. "I have to talk to Professor McGonagall…" He trailed off, muttering to himself.

"What position…keeper...no, chaser…those positions are filled aren't they?…beater…no, that's Fred and George…then it's only keeper…I wanted to be keeper anyway…what if I'm not as good as Wood?…" He broke off vaguely, still muttering quietly.

Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way quietly up the spiral staircase, and into the Common Room. To Harry's surprise, Professor McGonagall was sitting in an armchair by the fire, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Professor McGonagall!' Harry gasped, "What are you doing here?"

"I do believe Gryffindor is my house, Potter," Professor McGonagall said. 

"I would like to talk to you." She eyed the noise common room. "Alone, if you please."

Catching the look on Harry's face she added, "No need to look so grim, you're not in trouble. I would just like to have a word about something."

She led him back out of the common room, into the hallway and into a secluded classroom. She looked seriously at him.

"Potter, I just wanted to say, that if you don't feel safe doing this, you don't have to."

"What is it?" Harry asked anxiously.

"Well, you are the new captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team." 

Harry felt stunned. Him? Captain?

"But why me? How did you decide—why not Fred or George or Katie or Alicia or--" 

Professor McGonagall cut him off.

"I went around to all the other members of the Quidditch team, and they all felt that you would make the best captain."

"Oh…wow." Harry said, feeling more and more stunned.

"Of course," Professor McGonagall interjected sharply, "Everyone will understand if you're not up to it. There is the constant threat of Voldemort, especially now, after last year…" Her eyes grew faraway. 

"Oh, no," Harry said hastily. "I want to do this Professor."

Professor McGonagall came out of her trance and became businesslike again.

"Good, well then, all we need is a new keeper." 

"I presume that Mr. Weasley will be trying out?" 

Harry nodded. 

"Good, then that's all set. Practice will begin in a week, and details of the Quidditch Quest will be explained to you after training starts." She gave a rare smile to Harry, though it was laced with a tinge of sadness.

"You probably tire of hearing this, Potter, but your father was an extraordinary chaser. You have his talent on the Quidditch field."

Harry climbed back into the portrait hole, lost in thought. Ron thumped him hard on the back, which brought him out of his thoughts.

They retreated to a couple of armchairs near the fire.

"So," Hermione hissed. "What did she say?" Harry's thoughts about his parents left him, and he grew excited once more.

"She told me I'm the new Quidditch captain!" Harry whispered excitedly. He said to Ron, "And I think she's going to have you be the new Keeper!"

Ron looked ecstatic.

"Brilliant! When does training start?" 

"In a week."

They spent the rest of the night happily discussing Gryffindors chance in the Quidditch Quest, with Hermione commenting occasionally.


	5. The Quidditch Quest

The next morning was dull and gloomy. The sun was barely visible behind the gray clouds, and the few rays that shone through were weak and light. 

That morning, after they had eaten breakfast, Harry, Hermione and Ron hurried off to Potions class early. They were hoping to have a word with Professor Lupin before class started. They entered the Dungeons, not looking nearly as threatening and dark, now that Snape wasn't there. Professor Lupin was bending over, preparing a large cauldron, evidently for a lesson. He straightened up, caught sight of Harry and smiled jovially. Harry saw that he looked much better than he had in his third year; his face wasn't pale and he didn't have the usual bags under his eyes. 

"Harry!" Lupin said, "It's nice to see you again." Harry smiled politely, then went directly to the point.

"What are you doing here?" he paused. "Are you still a werewolf?" Lupin's smile faded off his face, though he didn't look angry. 

"Yes, Harry, I am still a werewolf. Nothing will ever change that. I'm not sure if you've heard, but I am able to continue teaching now, due to the fact that they have invented a new kind of potion. I simply take it, and I will appear normal. That is, of course, until it is the full moon. Then, I have agreed with Professor Dumbledore, that I will hide in the Forbidden Forest while I am a werewolf. The thing about this potion is that I will only have to be a werewolf for a day or two, only when the moon is at its fullest stage. Then, I will go completely back to normal, without looking any different than I did before."

"But aren't you worried that you'll accidentally bite someone?" Hermione asked nervously.

"No," Professor Lupin answered, "That's another thing about this new potion. When I am a werewolf, I won't have the instincts of a werewolf. I will still have my mind, as a human, not the mind of a werewolf." 

Just then, the rest of the class filed in.

"We'll talk later," Lupin said out of the corner of his mouth. Harry, Ron and Hermione took their seats in the front of the classroom.

Professor Lupin surveyed the room.

"Well then," He said smiling, "Welcome to Potions. Today, we will be brewing the Memoriosa Potion, better known as the Extra-Memory Potion." The class started to buzz with chatter. Having extra-memory seemed good to most people. Lupin, sensing their excitement, smiled. 

"It may not be what you expect. Does anyone know what the bad thing is about this potion?"

As usual, Hermione's hand shot into the air.

"Hermione?"

"The charm may disappear at any time," she said promptly.

"Excellent. 5 points to Gryffindor. The Memoriosa Potion, when used, gives the brewer extra memory, so that they are able to remember more things at once. The only drawback, however, is that it may stop working at any given moment. It could stop working five minutes after you start using it, or five days. Most likely, it behaves this way to prevent students from relying on it too much during exams." He smiled slightly. 

"Now repeat after me, please."

"_Memoriosa_!"

"_Memoriosa_!" The class repeated.

"Good, very good," he said, beaming.

"Now, what you have to do is concentrate very hard, on that one charm. You have to focus all your energy on this one charm and it will work. What we will do is find partners. You will practice the charm on yourself, and then you will then have each other read a section from a book, that I will provide. You will then see how much of the book you can remember. Typically, the normal person can only remember until line 5, in the book. If you have performed the charm correctly, you should be able to memorize at least up to line 18. Now find a partner, and you can get started."

Hermione and Ron paired up so Harry paired up with Seamus. They worked together at one table. 

"D'you want me to go first?" Seamus asked Harry.

"Yeah, why not?" 

Seamus took out his wand and aimed at Harry. 

"_Memoriosa_!" He shouted. Harry felt a strange sensation. Like his brain had suddenly grown bigger somehow.

"Are you alright Harry?" Seamus called, across the room, looking worried.

"I'm fine," Harry answered, "Where's the book?"

Seamus hurried off to get it, and Harry started to read it. When he was done, Seamus took the book away, and asked Harry to recite what he could remember. Harry could recite a full two pages word for word. Then, Harry put the spell in Seamus, and he also could recite 2 full pages, word for word. Since they were done, they sat down and watched Hermione and Ron putting the spell on each other. The class ended abruptly when the bell rang. They hurried out, and went to Defense against the Dark Arts.

"Could be quite a useful spell, couldn't it?" Ron said brightly. "It may come in handy on tests." Hermione pursed her lips and said worriedly,

"But that would count as cheating, wouldn't it? And anyway, you heard what Professor Lupin said, it can wear off at any minute!"

"I was only joking!" Ron said quickly. 

When they arrived at the Defense against the Dark Arts classroom, Mrs. Figg was already sitting there waiting for them. She gave Harry a little wave, and then started the class (everyone else had already arrived)

She was a good teacher; she taught a little bit like Lupin. Today, they learned about the Flipendo Spell, which blasted things out of the way. After spending the whole class blasting pillows out of the way, Harry got rather sick of classes, and was half asleep as they entered Transfiguration. Today's class was dull. They were supposed to be trying to turn a feather into a quill, but Harry didn't have much luck. He was relieved when the bell rang for the last time, signifying the end of lessons for the day.

Feeling like his brain was wrung out, Harry stomped up the stairs to common room with Ron. Ron went up the stairs to boy's dormitory, and collapsed onto it. Harry stayed in the common room, and he had just flopped down into a winged armchair by the fire, when Colin Creevey burst into the room, shouting Harry's name over and over again.

"Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry!" He bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Professor McGonagall wants to talk to you!" Harry curled up into a ball behind the back of the chair he was sitting in, trying to hide himself. But he was too late.

"Harry, Harry, Harry, Harry!" Colin shouted again. He has spotted Harry and started walking over to him, "Professor McGonagall wants to talk to you in the Transfiguration classroom!" 

"I heard you the first time," Harry said with gritted teeth. "Thank you very much."

"Ok" Colin bubbled. "Maybe I'll see you later Harry!" Harry forced a grin, and started down the spiral staircase that led down to the hallway. Once he was out from behind the portrait of the fat lady, he trudged along slowly toward the Transfiguration classroom, wondering what in the world he had done wrong now.

When he walked inside, Professor had been pacing the room. 

"Potter!" She barked, then, seeing the startled expression on his face, she relaxed.

"No, you're not in trouble," She said, reading his thoughts, (A/N: not literally, lol)

"I have an announcement about the Quidditch team. Oliver Wood is returning to Hogwarts. He has decided not to play Quidditch in a league, and will coach the Gryffindor team."

Harry had mixed feelings…it was nice to have Wood back but he had been looking forward to being in charge…anyway, he supposed they had a better chance of winning now.

"Er—that's good," Harry said awkwardly. 

Professor McGonagall smiled a rare smile.

"Do try and work hard together, will you? It would be wonderful if Gryffindor had a chance at the Quidditch Quest."

"We'll try," Harry said, smiling genuinely. He turned to leave when Professor McGonagall called out, 

"Wood will be here at the first practice, which is tomorrow." Harry nodded, then left the room, now feeling much happier, instead of…well, jealous. Lost in thought, he returned to the boy's dormitory, and went up to his bed. Ron was already in bed, or at least, the drapes were drawn tightly shut. With the contented sigh Harry changed into his pajamas, and instantly fell asleep. 

Morning dawned, bright and sunny. A ray of sunshine shone though the window next to Harry's bed, and onto his face. Harry stirred in his blankets. His eyes sprung open, and he groped around for his glasses. Putting them on, the room came into focus. It was lit brightly by the sun, and it seemed he was the only one awake. Yawning slightly, he got out of bed, and changed into his robes. 

By the time he had finished his breakfast in the Great Hall, everyone else had woken up. It was the weekend, so they didn't have to worry about getting to classes on time. Ron sat down next to Harry, and across from Hermione. 

"I heard about Wood," he said, "Practice starts in an hour or so." When Ron and Hermione finished their breakfast, Harry and Ron rushed upstairs to get ready, while Hermione rushed off to the library. Harry pulled out his Firebolt, while Ron looked on enviously.

"I have to use a school broom," he said.

"Good luck," Harry said sympathetically. In his third year, when his Nimbus 2000 was destroyed he had used a school broom before. They were slow and jerky, and always flew slightly to the left. 

They hurried outside and onto the Hogwarts grounds, Harry clutching his broom. When they arrived, they saw that the rest of the team was already there.

"Harry!" Wood said, pleased, "It's nice to see you again! And Ron," he added. 

"We had better get started. Our team should do well this year. The only player you've lost is—me," Wood announced. "And Ron, here, should make up for that." He grinned. 

"Let's get started." 

Harry noticed a remarkable change in the way Wood was handling practice. He was no longer so…vigorous, and tough. And he didn't seem to be concentrating as much on doing everything perfect. He was having the rest of the team warm up, while he worked with Ron. Ron was a good Keeper, though, he wasn't as good as Wood had been. 

It seemed Harry had been wrong about Wood calming down a bit. By the time practice was over, Harry was thoroughly exhausted. Wood seemed to be slowly regaining his maniac attitude with the sport. He had put the team through a number of drills and tactics. It seemed that they would be well prepared for their match against Ravenclaw, at least. The match would be the first step in determining the team that would represent Hogwarts in the Quidditch Quest.

Harry, Ron and Hermione (she had watched the practice) made their way up to the castle for lunch.

"I—think we'll have—a good chance of –winning against—Ravenclaw—tomorrow," said Ron, who was panting slightly.

"Yeah--I think so," Said Harry, who was also slightly out of breath. They retreated to the Great Hall and had a large lunch. When they were finished, they returned to the Common Room. 

For the rest of the day, Harry and Ron went back outside. Ron would throw normal golf balls at Harry, who would try to catch them. Then Harry would throw them at Ron, who would try to block them. Hermione had chosen a seat near a shady patch of grass, and started reading a very thick book.

The next morning was like the last. It was clear, sunny day without a hint of a breeze. The perfect setting for a Quidditch game. Over breakfast, Harry started to feel the excitement only a Quidditch game could bring. He forced down a small bowl of porridge, and walked out to the field with the rest of the team. As Wood was no longer a Hogwarts student, he was waiting outside for them, instead of waiting inside. He looked excited, but slightly apprehensive. Harry turned to look at Ron. He was slightly green, and looked like he was about to be sick.

"Are you ok?" Harry whispered out of the corner of his mouth. Ron opened his mouth, but no sound came out, so he just nodded.

"Ok team," Wood began his pre-match pep talk. "We have the best team there is, and you know you can win this one easily. All you've got to do and concentrate, This time, I won't be playing with you so, you've got to listen to Harry, who was supposed to be captain before I came back." Harry smiled nervously.

"Just…just concentrate, and we can do this." The team nodded nervously, and walked out onto the field. Harry felt the butterflies triple in his stomach. He had just spotted Cho Chang, the seeker for the Ravenclaw team. She had long black hair and big light brown eyes, and Harry found her to be quite pretty, Gulping, Harry took his eyes off her, and looked around the stadium.

The whole school had turned up for the match, and was shouting as loud as could be. Half the crowd was dressed in scarlet ,for Gryffindor, and the other half was blue for Ravenclaw. Harry walked to the center of the field, with the rest of the Gryffindor team taking their spots behind him. He shook hands with the Ravenclaw captain, Roger Davies. From the sidelines, Madam Hooch took out her whistle and yelled, 

"On my whistle now. Ready, set…GO!" Harry mounted his broom and kicked off from the ground, soaring higher than anyone else. The bright morning sun shone in Harry's eyes, making him squint. It seemed that Lee Jordan, Fred and George Weasleys' friend, was commentating again.

"And we're off! First match of the season, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw. Katie Bell with the Quaffle, passes to Angelina Johnson…! Ooooooh interception by Ravenclaw Chaser er—I'm not sure of the name, anyway, interception. Same Chaser is streaking up the field toward the goal, c'mon MISS! Er--sorry Professor. Shoots…Keeper Weasley..er no, there are three of them now. RON Weasley misses, Ravenclaw scores!" 

There was a great noise of disappointment from the scarlet-clad side of the stands. However, a great roar of excitement rose up from the other side. Harry turned his broom around, scanning the field for the Snitch, all the while keeping an ear out for Jordan's commentary. 

"Quaffle back in Gryffindor possession…Alicia Spinnet with the Quaffle, passes to Johnson…nearing the goal…she shoots, GOAL! The score is now tied, 10 to 10." Harry zoomed around the stadium again, keeping his eyes peeled for the Snitch. He noticed that Cho Chang seemed to be tailing him, though it was from quite a distance. Harry turned abruptly, and sped off in the other direction. Or maybe not. She had continued flying the same direction, obviously trying to find the Snitch. 

"And we have Spinnet with the Quaffle. Passes to Bell…now to Johnson..back to Spinnet…SCORE!"

Harry was now on the Ravenclaw side of the field. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a Bludger came zooming from his left. Harry dived out of instinct, and felt the breeze the Bludger had created.

"All right there, Harry?" grunted George, who had come his way, whacking it toward a Slytherin Chaser. He sped off, in pursuit of another Bludger. 

Harry rose high into the air, so that he was twenty feet above the game. Suddenly, he spotted a glimmer of wings, a flash of gold. It was the Snitch! Harry turned his broom downward and sped as fast as he could toward it. Across the field, Cho was doing to the same. Every second he was gaining on it. 

Suddenly, Ravenclaw Chaser Davies appeared out of no where and flew toward him. They collided with a thud, and Harry was almost thrown from his broom.

Davies had obviously meant to collide, as to stop Harry from catching the Snitch. The scarlet part of the crowd had stood up, roaring as one, "FOUL!"

"FOUL!" Lee Jordan roared. "Ravenclaw captain Davies blatches the Gryffindor seeker, Gryffindor takes the penalty shot!"

(A/N: I did not make up the word "blatch" if anyone has "Quidditch Through the Ages, you'll know what's I'm talking about ^^)

Katie Bell flew forward to take the shot. She successfully got it into the Ravenclaw goal. The game resumed. Fuming, Harry narrowed his eyes, scanning the sky for any sign of the Snitch. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something hurtling toward him. He dived instantaneously, and looked upward incredulously. It couldn't have been a Bludger; they weren't that big. 

"HARRY! ON YOUR LEFT!" came Wood's anguished yell from below.

He turned his broom up. It was Cho! She was bolting down toward the field, on the Snitch's tail. All the players had stopped playing to watch. Harry felt like slapping himself, as he sped forward. How could he have missed that?

Cho couldn't get it! She just couldn't! Harry's broom picked up speed. Cho was still in pursuit of the Snitch, as it was turning circles around the field. Harry was speeding toward Cho, when he realized the Snitch was going in another circle. If he approached it from, the other direction, he would get it before Cho! Turning sharply, Harry was a blur as he cornered the Snitch. Cho had realized what he was doing, and turned also. The Snitch had been speeding toward the Ravenclaw goalposts. Harry reached out his hand as Cho came from behind and took a swipe at it. It was just out of reach.

"C'mon, C'MON!" he urged his broom through gritted teeth. He put on a burst of speed as it went through a goalpost.

"Oh no," Harry groaned. He flattened himself so that he was level with his broom, and zoomed through the hoop after the Snitch. It was diving. Harry dived sharply and swiped at the Snitch again. He touched it! His hand slammed it into the goalpost. Before it could free itself Harry gripped it tightly. 

Madame Hooch's whistle sounded. A huge roar of noise shook the stadium. Harry had caught the Snitch! Lee's commentary was still going.

"YES! And he's got the Snitch! Gryffindor wins! 180-10!"

Harry raised his arm in victory, clutching the Snitch tightly. It was hopelessly beating its little wings in his hand. Ron had sped toward him, a wild grin stretched across his face.

"Harry, you did it! We won! You won! We won!" he kept repeating it. Harry felt as if he were in a daze as he landed. Wood came running up to him.  
"Well done Harry! It's quite different watching, then actually playing." He stopped talking, just grinning insanely. 

"I've heard that Slytherin's beaten Hufflepuff yesterday. Means we're going to have to beat them to win for Hogwarts." Harry didn't want to think about this for the moment. He just wanted to relish the victory over Ravenclaw. Cho came over to Harry. 

"Good one, Harry," she said, though somewhat wistfully. "Now all you have to do is beat Slytherin!" Harry felt his face turn red.

"Yeah…Th-Thanks," he stammered. She started to walk away, waving at him over her shoulder.

"Good luck!" She called over her shoulder, smiling at Harry.

Harry just stood there for a moment, as if his feet were rooted to the ground.

Ron had approached him again, a sly look on his face. 

"Hmmmmmmmmm…" he teased. 

"Let's go inside now," Harry said abruptly, doing a screeching subject change.

"Yeah, sure," Ron said, still smiling as if he knew something Harry didn't. They walked back into the Great Hall together, with Hermione who had just arrived. 

Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, the team seemed to be having a small celebration. Fred and George, as usual, had sneaked plenty of food from the kitchens into the common room, and everyone was munching away. Harry and Ron entered the room amid shouts and yelps. 

"Harry!" Fred had come over. "That was some catch—oops, sorry," he had sprayed Harry with bits of whatever he had been eating. Hermione wrinkled her nose in distaste, and retreated to the girl's common room. 

"HARRY!" Harry spotted Wood in a corner of the room. He must have been invited to come in, since he wasn't a student at Hogwarts anymore. 

"Now, we have to discuss the diversionary tactics you must use against Slytherin. One highly useful one I learned from playing at Puddlemere United is called the Pandersneel Ploy. This is extremely difficult to pull off successfully, but I think that with practice you could do it. What you do is once you've spotted the Snitch, you go after it, right?" Harry nodded. Wood continued. 

"Well, what happens is that once you start to fly toward it, you must fly in high speed in zigzags. This way, the opposing Seeker won't be able to tell where you're going, and it is more difficult to spot the Snitch. Now, we must modify it a bit so that it won't be as…" 

Harry had lost interest. Wood talked for another 10 minutes, with Harry nodding, and mumbling his agreement. Finally, he broke off. Harry had sunk into a stupor. "You got all that Harry?"

"Yeah, of course, " Harry lied. 

"All right then! We'll beat Slytherin for sure, now!" Wood slapped Harry on the back. Relived that it was over, Harry looked around for Ron. Wood was calling him over now, and was now talking about defensive strategies with him. Harry could hear parts of their conversation.

" Now Ron, you did a good job for your first time, but Slytherin's tough. When I was Keeper, I found that Double Eight Loop strategy worked the best on offending teams. What you do is fly very quickly around all the hoops, so it's hard for them to score without you intercepting it. Of course, the Starfish and Stick is great too but…" Harry looked at Ron. He was standing there in front of Wood, eyes glazed over, nodding every once in a while. 

Chuckling quietly to himself, Harry made his way up to the boy's dormitory. The celebration didn't seem to be disbanding any, as it was still very noisy. Harry sat down on his bed, closing the hangings around him. 

He lay there, thinking of the Quidditch match, happiness flooding through him. He hadn't had much time by himself over the past couple weeks. Some time alone was enjoyable. The match against Slytherin would be tough, but Harry had confidence that if everyone on the team flew their best, they could defeat Slytherin. Harry grinned. He could see it now…he had just gone into a spectacular dive, drawing a collective gasp from the crowd. He would catch the Snitch while the entire stadium burst into applause…In his mind's eye, Harry could see Cho's face. Smiling proudly as he flew with the Snitch clutched in his hand… Harry's smile faded. That probably would never happen. Not the part with Cho, anyway. 

Last year, ever since Cedric Diggory's death, Cho was…different somehow. She didn't seem as outgoing, withdrawn. Not that Harry blamed her, of course. He knew the feeling of having something missing from you…whether it be a boyfriend…or a mother and father. Harry's happiness now slowly faded away with his smile. Well…they had something in common. The thought didn't cheer him up any, however. 

Just then, the door slammed open. 

"HARRY!" Ron shouted. Harry recognized his voice though the curtains.

"What are you doing?" Ron shouted back, "It's not _nearly_ time to go to bed yet!"

"Yeah, I'll see you downstairs in a bit." 

It wouldn't do him any good to sit there brooding about Cho. Ron closed the door, and Harry could hear his footsteps thundering down the stairs. Harry opened up his hangings, and slipped through. Plastering a smile onto his face, he walked back downstairs. It wouldn't do to dwell on things Harry wished would happen. Especially since Harry was convinced they would never come true. 


	6. The Forbidden Forest

The next morning Harry woke to an overcast day. The sky was dull and dreary with grey clouds covering the horizon. He pulled himself out of bed, more cheerful now than the night before. As he changed into his normal black work robes, he glanced over at the bed where Ron slept. The rich velvet hangings were drawn shut. Ron must still have been asleep. It wasn't surprising, as he had still been downstairs when Harry had went to bed.  
Harry walked quietly down the stairs. It seemed he was the first one up. He walked into an almost empty Great Hall. There were only a few students sitting there, eating their breakfasts. Harry spotted Hermione sitting in a corner, eating a piece of toast while still reading the same thick book. He got some breakfast for himself and sat down beside her. They ate for a minute or two in silence, with Harry staring out the window and Hermione poring over her book. A moment later, a voice echoed around the empty hall.  
"Looks like we're one of the first ones up," a familiar voice drawled. "Crabbe, Goyle get me some toast. I'll find us a seat."  
Harry's jaw dropped. In complete shock he looked at Hermione. She was staring at him, her eyes so big they were like flying saucers.  
"It can't be...it just CAN'T...it's..." Hermione stammered.  
Harry turned to see, standing there, the very last person he wanted to see, Draco Malfoy. He looked meaner, still pale, with slicked back white-blonde hair plastered to his head. Harry felt like kicking something, very hard. Evidently, Draco had come back…Why? Harry would've thought Durmstrang suited his needs exactly.  
Draco turned and spotted Harry sitting there, staring at him. A delighted smile broke across his evil face.  
"Well, well, well," he called. "If it isn't the famous Potter, and his faithful sidekick, Granger, the Mudblood. Missed me much?" Harry's blood boiled as he heard this. How dare he call Hermione a Mudblood. Everything had been going so well this year. Of course, then, something had to go wrong. In this case, Draco had come back.  
"What are you doing here, Malfoy," Harry spat, fists clenched tight. Harry had expected some cocky answer, so was very surprised when Malfoy's pale face colored slightly.  
"That's none of your business," Draco growled. Harry was even more surprised when he promptly turned on his heel and sauntered out of the Great Hall, Crabbe and Goyle running stupidly behind him.  
"That Malfoy. I swear, this year, I've had enough. I'm not going to stand here, listening to him insult me, and you, and Ron. I'll-"  
"Harry, calm down," Hermione consoled. "I don't mind. He's just a stupid brainless git. He probably came back because he was homesick or something, the idiot."  
Harry highly doubted that, but nodded anyway, and sat down, breathing heavily. He had just calmed down some when Ron ran into the room, looking like he had seen a ghost.  
"Harry!" he whispered hoarsely.  
"That idiot Malfoy is back! I just saw him with Crabbe and Goyle!"  
"Yeah, we know," Harry said, indicating Hermione. Ron groaned loudly. Several heads In the Great Hall turned around and stared at him. Ron, who had reached his wit's end shouted at them. "What are you looking at? Go ahead, just carry on eating." A first year girl looked terrified as she turned around, looking like she was fighting back what seemed to be tears of fright.  
  
"Sorry, lost my temper," Ron said sheepishly to her. Everyone else was staring at him as if he were growing horns out of his head or something. Ron turned back to Hermione and Harry.  
"SO," he said loudly. Then he whispered to Hermione and Ron  
"Is everyone still staring at me?"  
"Yeah, I reckon so," Harry said casually, without bothering to turn around and look.  
Hermione giggled into her toast. Ron's face turned beet red till he looked like a tomato with a wig on. Harry watched this with interest. Ron had been teasing him about Cho, well...However, before Harry could act on this idea, Ron and Hermione had gotten up, and were heading for the Gryffindor Common Room. Harry got up also, and followed them. Ron had run ahead into the common room, then run back out to go to Harry.  
"Harry," he said breathlessly, "Next match against Slytherin is in two weeks, it's only just about a week after Halloween."  
Harry nodded numbly. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.  
"Ron!" he said abruptly, grabbing him by the arm,  
"Ow, Harry, what're you doing?"  
"Ron," Harry repeated, "Do you think Draco'll be Seeker again?"  
Ron paled slightly. He heaved a sigh.  
"I suppose so. Knowing him, he'll probably have his daddy buy him new broomsticks again. The whole team will probably be mounted on Firebolt 2002's or something."  
Harry frowned.  
"I don't think there is such thing." He said thoughtfully. Hermione, who had been silent, tutted loudly.  
"He didn't mean literally, Harry!"  
"Oh, right" Harry said, embarrassed.  
"Anyway," Ron continued, "most likely, he'll be there, but we needn't worry about it! We've got you! And Katie, Angelina, and Alicia! Oh, and me and Fred and George," he added. Harry felt his spirits lift slightly.  
"Yeah, I guess," he said hopefully.  
"I mean, even thought they'll probably all have Firebolts, and Draco will probably cheat somehow, and they'll probably knock us all out beforehand, and-" 

Ron cut him off excitedly. "Harry, have a bit of faith! OH!" he exclaimed suddenly, "I just thought of something!"  
"Alert the newspapers!" Harry said, his patience wearing thin. Ron ignored him.  
  
"They haven't got Flint this year! They must have a new captain!"  
"Right, that's going to make the biggest difference ever, Ron," Harry said sarcastically.  
"No, Harry, he could be right," Hermione butted in.  
"Flint was always the one who played the dirtiest. They whole team was probably inspired by him, the brainless git."  
"You could be right..." Harry murmured.  
"Harry, have you gone mad? When is Hermione NOT right?" Ron exploded.  
"Yeah, I guess so," Harry said. They were in the Common Room now. It was now half filled with Gryffindor students, milling in and out, talking amongst themselves. Harry, Ron and Hermione seated themselves in armchairs, and continued arguing spiritedly.  
After lunch, they went to go visit Hagrid, who had excitedly showed them several Mokes, silverish lizard-like creatures that could shrink at will. They were supposed to be for their next lesson. Harry just supposed he should grateful that so far, at least, Hagrid hadn't gotten any particularly dangerous creatures. Now that he had thought about that, he had probably jinxed them, and Hagrid would show up with a couple of sea serpents or something the next morning.  
The next few weeks passed by quickly, and before Harry knew it, it was Halloween night, and he, Ron and Hermione were filing into the Great Hall along with the rest of the school for the Halloween feast.  
As usual, the golden plates and forks were laid out on the table. The house tables were already half filled with people. Harry, Ron and Hermione next down at the end of the Gryffindor table, and started to talk about the day's lessons, while waiting for everyone to arrive.  
That morning, they had had Potions, and because Snape still hadn't returned, Lupin was still there. They had brewed a potion that would make you incredibly jumpy, and full of energy. Ron, Harry and Hermione had all been bouncing off the walls after that class. The effects were still lingering a bit, as Hermione kept on bursting into loud, girlish giggles at the most random moments. In Defense against the Dark Arts they had learned a spell that would instantly make all the lights around you go out, so it would be pitch black. Neville had accidentally done the opposite, and set a table on fire.  
Harry was right about to tell Hermione what had happened in Divination, when a sharp rapping on glass drew his attention. The hall quieted. Dumbledore stood up, addressing the crowd.  
"Before we begin to enjoy this excellent feast, I have one announcement." He gazed around at the now filled Great Hall.  
"The Quidditch match that will determine the team who will represent Hogwarts in the Quidditch Quest will take place six days from now, noon, at the Quidditch Stadium, as always. As I'm sure you all know, the teams that will be competing against each other are Slytherin"  
This drew several hollers from the students  
"And Gryffindor" When he finishes saying this, half of the room burst into applause, and shouts. Harry thought he detected a hint of a smile on Dumbledore's face. He continued speaking.  
"Currently, Slytherin has the advantage, as they won 220 points over Hufflepuff. This means that in order for Gryffindor to win the entire thing, they must get the Snitch only after they are 50 points up. Otherwise, Gryffindor will win the match, but lose the chance to represent Hogwarts. Slytherin, on the other hand, has no such restrictions. I would just like to have explained that to the followers that know less about the rules of Quidditch." He smiled benignly.  
"May I also take this opportunity to wish both teams the best of luck. I hope to see all of you at the coming match. Now, I say we enjoy this marvelous feast!"  
He sat down, and started conversing with Lupin, who was sitting on his right. Harry looked expectantly at the golden plates in front of him. Within seconds, it had filled with hundreds and hundreds of assorted plates. Deeply satisfied, he dug in.  
His mouth bulging with some kind of food, Ron turned to Harry, started to talk, and spewed food all over him.  
  
"Oops. Sorry, Harry," he mumbled. "So anyway, about the Quidditch match, does that mean you can only catch the Snitch if we're more than 50 points up?"  
Harry nodded, smothering a laugh.  
"Isn't that what Dumbledore said…"  
"Yeah, but anyway, that won't be difficult, will it?" Ron said, dismissing the matter quickly.  
" Slytherin has an advantage."  
"Yeah, but we're better"  
"Maybe. Maybe not."  
"'Course we are! We're going to win this Quest, Harry!"  
Personally, Harry seriously doubted that. Of course, he wanted to, and he would try his best, but there would most likely be some excellent teams from around the world that they wouldn't stand a chance against...  
"Ron, do you know how good some of these teams are going to be? Remember Krum?"  
Ron snorted derisively.  
"Yeah, him and Hermione." He imitated a high breathy voice.  
"Oh, Vicky, I would love to stay with you over the summer--"  
"Ron, shut up!" Harry whispered under his breath. Hermione was chatting with Parvati Patil, across the table, but she was bound to hear. It was obvious Ron was jealous, but Harry wasn't going to say anything now.  
"ANYWAY, you know that he was still in school. And he played in the World Cup! Just think, some of the players from other schools may be that good! We wouldn't stand a chance!"  
Ron was struggling to think of a response when the doors to the Entrance Hall were burst open. Rain came in from outside, and a lightning bolt lit the sky, illuminating the person's face. He had shoulder-length, black, greasy hair, and a hooked nose. There were deep gashes and scratches across his face, and he stumbled into the hall panting, clutching his side. It was Professor Snape.  
Harry's eyes opened wide at his appearance. The whole Hall was filled with stunned silence as Snape made his way up to the staff table. Stopping in front on Dumbledore he said in a whisper that nevertheless echoed around the silent hall.  
"I need-to-talk to you-in private" he gasped.  
Dumbledore nodded gravely then whispered something back that couldn't be heard. Snape nodded and limped off into the empty hall. Dumbledore cleared his throat and made a big show of returning back to eating. Gradually, the hall buzzed with talk again, especially with talk of Snape. Harry caught snatches of the conversation.  
"He's been spying for Voldemort!"  
"Probably caught him!"  
"And he only just escaped!" The stories were getting wilder and wilder. Harry turned to Hermione and Ron and started discussing the matter with them.  
"Do you really think Snape's been spying on Voldemort for Dumbledore?" Hermione whispered quietly. Harry shrugged.  
"Wouldn't you think Voldemort would've found out though?"  
"Yeah, but if Dumbledore helped him..." Harry trailed off. They stopped talking, and started to eat again.  
By the time they were done, Harry, Ron and Hermione were stuffed full. Snape had been temporarily dashed out of their minds. They left the Hall, as all the traces of food disappeared from the plates, leaving them sparkling gold again. They walked out into the corridor with the rest of the school chattering merrily.  
The next morning, Harry woke to a promising weekend. The sky was a clear blue, with only a few cottonball clouds dotting it. Harry stretched and yawned loudly. He climbed out of bed, and put his robes on. He found Ron and Hermione in the common room together. They went into the Great Hall for breakfast soon afterward. The fifth years were gradually getting more and more homework from each Professor, due to the fact that they took their O.W.L.'s in fifth year. As today was the weekend, they just wanted to lie around and enjoy the free time.  
The morning and afternoon passed quickly. Harry and Ron mostly stayed in the common room, lounging around lazily, talking occasionally. Hermione, on the other hand, had become over-obsessed with planning for their O.W.L.'s again, and was studying and doing her homework.  
In the evening, after dinner, they were just about to go outside for a short walk, when a large barn owl came soaring from a window and dropped a thick letter into Hermione's hands. Hermione glanced quickly at the address, and then turned a brilliant shade of pink. She started to walk hurriedly outside, so that Ron and Harry had to run to catch up to her.  
They sat down together while Hermione attempted to hide the large envelope behind her back. Obviously, Ron had already seen it.  
"What's that?" he asked curiously.  
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all," Hermione replied rather hastily.  
She tried to shift so that it was hidden from view, but Ron was too quick for her. He snatched it out of her hands and ripped it open despite Hermione's shrieks of indignation. He took out a thick yellow piece of parchment, all the while holding it above his head so that Hermione couldn't reach it.  
"RON! RON, that's my PRIVATE business!" Hermione bellowed, trying in vain to reach the letter. Harry, who was as curious as Ron, didn't say anything. Ron opened the folded letter and began reading aloud.  
"Dear Hermione, it was very nice seeing you again this summer. I am hoping to come over to Hogwarts again, and perhaps we can meet again. My team has won the Quidditch Quest for Durmstrang, so maybe I will see you there, if Gryffindor wins."  
It went on and on over two sides of parchment about how much he missed her, and so on. Right down to "Love, Viktor". Ron had turned a bright shade of pink now too.  
"YOU WENT TO GO VISIT HIM?" he roared. Hermione now didn't look embarrassed as much, but angry.  
"YES! I did!" she shouted back.  
Ron cut her off.  
"How could you?? I thought that you had stopped talking to him after last year! And I thought we--" He broke off abruptly, staring angrily at his feet. Hermione now seemed close to tears.  
"I like him, but I don't LOVE him! I thought that we--that we-- but you didn't say anything! What other choice did I have? Was I just supposed to wait for you to change your mind? I thought that you would--but you didn't! I thought that you might have liked--but you don't!! What am I supposed to do? Never talk to him again? I--we--I liked--oh RON! You don't like--" She broke off, sobbing freely. Turning on her heel, she ran away from both of them, tears running down her cheeks. Ron looked stunned.  
  
"She--did she just say that she didn't like Krum? Did she say she liked--?" Harry wasn't sure what to say. He knew what was going on. Ron didn't know if Hermione liked him. Hermione didn't either, so she kept on seeing Viktor. But Ron obviously did, but he wasn't willing to admit it. Now, Ron was just staring at the ground.  
"Why did I yell?" he said angrily.  
"I've just messed everything up, and now she won't ever--"  
Just then a shrill scream pierced the air, high and terrified. Ron and Harry's eyes met.  
"You don't think Hermione...?"  
Ron had gone ghostly white.  
"It came from the Forbidden Forest!"  
They started running at top speed toward the forest. Harry's mind raced. What if something happened to Hermione? He started to run faster. They entered the forest. Forgetting that they were forbidden from the forest, he and Ron charged at full speed inside of it. Harry didn't care about anything at the moment. All that mattered was getting Hermione out. They slowed down a bit as they went inside. It was darker here, because the trees blocked out what was left of the sunlight. It was gloomy, and a creepy. A silence still hung in the air. A slight mist hung over the ground, and the trees seemed to press in on Harry and Ron.  
"Where did her scream come from?" Ron asked urgently.  
"I don't know," Harry replied nervously. The forest was very large, with many trees looming overhead, and twisting paths. Harry was starting to get scared. Suddenly, from his right, Harry heard a voice.  
"NO! HELP! NOOOOO!" It was Hermione's voice! Without a thought, Harry trampled through the dense forest plant growth to his right, Ron by his side. Only Hermione was on his mind, fear totally forgotten. It came back in full measure, however, when he heard Hermione's piercing scream again. Harry ran faster than ever. His stomach lurched at the sight that met him.  
Hermione lay sprawled on the ground, eyes closed, not moving the slightest bit. In front of her, ready to pounce, was a full-grown werewolf. It was on all fours, snarling dangerously. Harry glanced suddenly at the moon. It was a full moon. Harry suddenly remembered something...In the beginning of the year, Lupin had told Harry that when he transformed, he would be led into the Forbidden Forest, just to be safe. The werewolf must be Lupin! Harry realized that it wouldn't help him. Lupin had said that due to the new potion, he would still have the mind of a human, but he must have forgotten to take the potion tonight, because he was behaving very much like a real werewolf tonight.  
Lupin snarled at Ron and Harry, then turned his attention back to Hermione. Backing up, he prepared to spring, when Harry took out his wand and pointed it at Lupin. His shout filled the night air.  
"STUPEFY!"  
Flashes of light shot out of his wand and hit the werewolf. Stunned, it fell over, stiff and frozen.  
"Good one Harry," Ron said nervously. Glancing warily at the werewolf, they walked over to Hermione. She lay very still, but her chest was still rising up and down, slowly. Ron let out a long sigh of relief. Harry was about to suggest that they get out of here, before Lupin woke, when suddenly, a blinding green light filled the forest. 

Harry started yelling to Ron at the top of lungs. He couldn't hear anything though...the light was getting brighter. A cackling, high and cold, emerged from the light. Harry swayed on his feet, his vision growing dim. Dropping to his knees, he clutched his wand. Everything began to blur, and Harry collapsed. He managed to keep his eyes open for a second longer.  
"Help..." he whispered faintly. His wand dropped from his fingers, and all he saw now was black. Everywhere...


	7. Gryffindor vs Slytherin

"How long has it been?"

"Just about an hour or so."

"Wha-what happened? Where's Harry? HARRY!"

"SHHHHHH you'll wake him!"

Harry stirred weakly. Slowly, his eyes opened. Everything was blurry. He lifted himself up slightly and found his glasses. He put them on, and everything swam into focus. He was in the Hogwarts infirmary. Across the room from him, Hermione was sitting down in a chair. Ron was standing beside her, whispering quietly. Harry sat up, then wished he hadn't. He felt dizzy for a moment, but then it passed, and his head felt normal.

"Ron?" he said weakly.

"HARRY!" Ron shouted. "FINALLY! I was getting worried!"

"What happened?" Harry asked confusedly. "Weren't we in the forest…with the werewolf…LUPIN! And Hermione! WHERE'S LUPIN!" 

"Harry, calm down!" Ron said. "We _were_ in the forest. Do you remember that green flash?"

Harry's head started to clear.

"Yeah…that was the light I saw when I was trying to get on the Knight Bus! That's when I passed out…Is that what just happened?"

"I reckon so," Ron said seriously. Suddenly he paled.

"D'you think--D'you think You-Know-Who was there?"

"I dunno," Harry said nervously. Hermione spoke up.

"Did your scar hurt, Harry?"

"No…" he touched it lightly. "It doesn't hurt now, either. Anyway, what happened?"

"Well," Ron said. "I saw a bunch of green light, then I saw you faint, and that's when it suddenly stopped. You and Hermione were kinda lying there on the ground, very still. I panicked, especially with Lupin the werewolf there. But then a cloud must've covered the moon, or it wasn't a full moon or something, because he transformed back into himself. He saw you and Hermione there, and magicked you onto stretchers. He brought you into here, and Hermione came round right away. It's been an hour or so since you just did." 

Harry's stomach lurched. Every time he had seen the green light he had fainted. And he also heard that same, evil, cackling laugh. Harry faced Ron. He felt stupid asking, but he had to know.

"When you saw the green flash," he said slowly, "Did you hear someone laughing as well?"

"No…" Ron looked at Harry strangely. "Are you sure you're all right?"

Hermione had gone white. 

"Harry!" she said, "What if it's You-Know-Who? Oh Harry, was that the same thing with the Knight Bus?" Harry nodded grimly. Hermione looked panicked. 

"You MUST tell Professor Dumbledore! If it's You-Know-Who…" she trailed off ominously. 

"Yeah, you really should Harry, as soon as possible," Ron chipped in.

"I suppose so," Harry murmured. "I'll go tomorrow…and if not tomorrow, at least before the Quidditch Quest…" he frowned. "WHY does this keep on happening? My scar isn't hurting, and it just happens at random moments…is it a warning? A sign?"

Hermione was hovering anxiously near his bed.

"That's what you should ask Dumbledore, when you talk with him," she said pointedly. 

"Right," Harry said, taking a deep breath. "Well then, I'll go right now." 

"Oh, no you won't!" The door had swung open, and Madame Pomfrey, the school nurse, was swooping in, bending over Harry and taking his pulse.

"Have you any idea what time it is?" 

She answered herself. "11:00! You should be in bed, sleeping already! Especially in your condition." She looked him over.

"I'm fine!" Harry insisted. "I feel perfectly normal!"

"That's what they all say," Madame Pomfrey said distractedly. "Off to bed now, you two! Shoo! Shoo! This boy needs rest! Be gone with you!"

Ron and Hermione left, waving goodbye over their shoulders. 

Harry slipped back down into the blankets. Madame Pomfrey, who had disappeared momentarily, had come back. She had a smoking goblet held in her bony hand.

"Here, drink this," she ordered. "It will help you fall asleep much faster." Harry tentatively took a sip, and he instantly started to feel groggy. Remembering that he still had his glasses on, he took them off, and lay down to bed. Within seconds he was fast asleep.

Harry woke up the next morning to Madame Pomfrey peering over into his face. Stifling a yelp, Harry sat up quickly, clutching the blanket tightly.

"Ah, you're finally up," Madame Pomfrey remarked. She took his temperature quickly, and retreated when she saw that it was normal. Harry ate breakfast in the infirmary, and was allowed to leave afterward. He made his way up the spiral staircase into the Common Room. He spotted Hermione and Ron sitting on opposite sides of the room. It seemed they had only talked to each other in light of Harry. Now, it seemed, they were back to being mad at each other. Harry sighed. When were they going to come to their senses? He made his way to Hermione first. She had been studying, as usual. 

The first thing she said to Harry was, "You'd better go on and tell Dumbledore now, Harry." Harry nodded, and made his way back out of the Common Room. He had just climbed out of the portrait hole when he heard a scuffling from behind him. He turned to see Ron climbing out also. 

"I'm going to come with you, if you don't mind," Ron said. Of course, Harry didn't mind, so they made their way up to the statue of a stone gargoyle, where Dumbledore's office was situated. 

Suddenly, a thought struck Harry. He didn't know the password! How could he have forgotten that? Ron was looking expectantly at him. 

"Well then," he said, "What now?"

"I don't know the password," Harry said sheepishly. He cleared his throat.

"I can try to figure it out again. As far as I know, it's always been some kind of sweet." With that, they both started reciting the names of all the different kinds of sweets they knew.

"Lemon drop!"

"Pumpkin Pasty!"

"Chocolate Frog!"

"Bertie Bott's Ever Flavor Beans! Wait…I forgot, that probably wouldn't be it…"

"Licorice Wand!"

"Sugar Quill!"

"Cockroach Cluster!"

"Cauldron Cake!"

Harry had shouted the last one. Suddenly, the gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside. 

"Knew it would work," Harry said, grinning to Ron. They walked in through the gap in the walls and climbed up a spiral staircase. They came face to face with a closed oak door. 

Harry thought he heard something, and motioned to Ron to be quiet. Voices were resounding though the door. It seemed to be Dumbledore and…Snape! They were in the middle of a heated conversation.

"Albus, he's here."

"In Hogwarts?"

"Nearby."

"Really, Severus, are you sure?"

"I heard him myself. I've been spying on him, like you instructed, Professor. His blundering servant almost caught me. The night of the Halloween feast, I had just barely escaped Wormtail."

"I see. Well it is rather fortunate you weren't caught. What have you learned, Severus?"

"The Knight Bus sir, did you hear that it was stolen?"

"Indeed, I did."

"It was You-Know-Who."

"Severus, fear of a name increases fear of the person himself. Really, I've been repeating that for years now, but does anyone listen?"

"Yes, sir."

"Anyway, why on Earth would he need the Knight Bus?"

"Just to stir things up. To alarm people, and keep them alert. You know the way he is."

"I supposed so…" 

"Dumbledore, he's still after Potter"

"Not a surprise."

"Do you really think he'll be safe here?"

"I have my ways."

"Oh." Snape sounded a bit disappointed, if anything.

"I heard" There was a gulping noise. "_Voldemort_. He was planning something with Potter again. Another plan…he didn't say what, but he was sure it would work this time."

"Well, we'll have to put some more protection on Harry, then. Now, if that is all, I have an errand I need to finish. "

"Yes, of course, Headmaster."

"I trust you will be returning to teach Potions?"

"Of course."

"Excellent."

"Now, if you don't mind…"

The door handle jiggled. Harry stared at Ron, who looked quite panicked. In silent agreement, they tiptoed quietly down the stairs, and back into the empty corridor. They had just turned round the corner when they say Snape coming out of the concealed door. Looking down the corridor furtively, he swept off into the other direction, his black robes swishing quietly.

Harry and Ron ran quietly down the hallway, the mission they had had in mind completely forgotten. They burst into the Common Room, robes flying. Hermione was still sitting in the same corner, her brow furrowed in concentration at the book she was studying. 

"Hermione," Ron blurted out, "You won't believe what Harry and I just heard."

Harry motioned to him to be quiet. The common room was filled with people. Signaling them to follow him, he climbed out of the portrait hole again, Ron and Hermione at his heels. He led them to the library, which was deserted. 

Madame Pince peered suspiciously at them as they walked in. Nonchalantly, they settled themselves down at a table near the far back. After making sure that no one was around, Harry wasted no time in filling Hermione in on what they had just overheard.

"So…the Knight Bus _was_ stolen by You-Know-Who," Hermione said in a hushed tone of voice.

"Apparently," Harry muttered.

Hermione wheeled around and to stare at Harry. 

"Harry!" She shouted, as if she was just noticing he was there.

"Shhhhhh!" Harry mouthed. She ignored him.

"You'd better be careful! If You-Know-Who is still after you, _and _he's nearby…"

"Oh come on, Hermione," Ron said scathingly.

"Harry's been in this kind of a situation before! He knows how to take care of himself. In our second year--"

Hermione interrupted him. There were bright red patches of color on her cheeks, and she looked angry.

"Ron!" She began furiously, "You-Know-Who has _come back_. Harry hasn't been in this kind of a situation before! We can't even begin to fathom how much power he has! This isn't some fairy tale story, Harry could _die _if we're all not careful!"

Ron looked taken aback.

"You're right," he said quietly. "Sorry. I was just being stupid."

Harry sat there watching them. They were talking as if he wasn't in the room with them. He had a feeling they weren't quite talking about him either. It was like they were talking about him…but with some other kind of meaning to the words.

"Let's go back into the common room now, and see when the match against Slytherin is," He interrupted loudly.

"It's in a week," Ron snapped, looking annoyed at the interruption. He turned back to Hermione and they continued exchanging heartfelt apologies.

Harry sighed, a slight smile on his face as he watched them. In a minute, it had lost his attention, so he cleared his throat loudly, and announced,

"I'll see you in a bit. I'm going back to the common room." With that, he turned and walked out. Once he was out of their view, he turned back and peered through a bookcase at them. 

They were hugging. Harry turned back, a bit embarrassed at witnessing that. He walked out of the library, and back into the common room. He walked out of the library, and back into the common room. He flopped down into a huge red armchair that was set next to the roaring fire. He stared at it for a minute or two. Its bright orange flames transfixed his gaze onto it. The flames looked like they were dancing this way and that. Harry had a sudden memory. Last year, after his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, he had had a talk with Sirius. Sirius had made his head appear in the flames, and they had talked that way. Thinking of Sirius, Harry thought he might want to hear about the Knight Bus. 

He made his way up the spiral staircase and into the boys' dorm, so that he could grab a quill and some parchment from his bag. Settling himself back in the same armchair, he started to write. 

15 minutes later, he put down his quill and looked over his letter.

__

Dear Sirius,

Thanks for your last letter. I've been doing pretty good…Only there's one thing…over the summer, Hermione called, to ask me to stay. I tried to use the Knight Bus to get to her house, but it didn't come. Instead, there was this blinding flash of green light and I fainted. The same thing happened recently. I had ran after Hermione in the forest

Harry had thought it was best not to add that it was the Forbidden Forest.

__

And I saw that flash of light again. I passed out again. The second time Ron had been with me, and he saw the light too. But both times I also heard this high, evil laughter before I fainted. Ron said he didn't hear anything. I don't know what it's from; maybe you'll have a clue. I'm sure I didn't imagine it either.

Also, I was on my way to tell Dumbledore the other day, when I overheard him talking with Snape. Snape was saying that he had been spying on Voldemort, and that it was him who had stolen the Knight Bus. I don't know whether you've heard or not that it was stolen. 

For the Quidditch Quest, Gryffindor beat Ravenclaw in the first match for determining the champion for Hogwarts. We have a match against Slytherin in a few days. Wish me luck!

-Harry

It was a rather hurried letter, but it was good enough. He didn't write all about the green flashes, he didn't want to make it seem like he was too worried. Harry got up and made his way up to the Owlery to have Hedwig deliver the letter.

He pulled open the door, and walked inside. It was rather drafty, and the floor was covered with droppings. Harry pinched his nose as he walked inside. He spotted Hedwig, perched on a windowsill. 

"Hedwig," he said, his voice coming out all high and squeaky.

"I need you to take this letter to Sirius." Hedwig hooted softly, and fluttered onto his shoulder. Harry folded up the letter and tied it to her leg.

"See you later," He said to Hedwig, watching her soar out the open window. Harry watched her until she was a dot on the darkening horizon. 

He made his way back into the common room. This time, Ron and Hermione were already there. Hermione seemed to have finally succeeded in getting Ron to buckle down and study. She was quizzing him on their Potions notes. As Snape was going to start teaching again, they needed to make sure they knew everything and not give Snape any chances to take points from Gryffindor. Harry sat down next to Hermione, and looked over her shoulder at her notes. They were written neatly in perfect handwriting. The paper was perfectly smooth, without a crease or even a pencil smudge. No doodles littered the corners like in Harry's. He gulped as he read the notes. He didn't know any of this very well, and had a nasty feeling Snape would be asking him questions on it. He dragged another armchair, and sat down across from both of them. 

For the remainder of the afternoon, Hermione quizzed Harry and Ron. Though they both complained loudly, and whined the whole afternoon, she just kept on going. Harry went to bed that night feeling like his brain had gotten bigger with all the information he had absorbed. He fell asleep feeling satisfied. At least now, Snape wouldn't have any excuses to give him detention or take points off…

The next morning, Harry woke before anyone else. Harry yawned and sat up, shivering. The days were progressively getting colder, though inside, it looked perfectly warm. A bird chirped very loudly from Harry's window, and Harry nearly fell out of bed insurprise. Suddenly he jumped.

"THE MATCH AGAINST SLYTHERIN IS TOMORROW!" he shouted, forgetting that everyone else was still asleep.

"Everything all right, Harry?" Came Dean's sleepy voice. A second later, a loud snort told Harry he had fallen back asleep. Harry got up quietly, and changed into his robes. There was still an hour or two before classes started. He scuffled down to the Great Hall. There were only one or two other people in there, sleepily poking at their toast or scrambled eggs. Harry chose a seat near the corner, and sat down. 

Harry just sat there, thinking for a moment. _The match against Slytherin was tomorrow_. He had almost totally forgotten. Well, he had remembered, but it had never really sunk in. They had had Quidditch practice the last several days, but Harry didn't really think of the match against Slytherin, he just thought of it as…practice. Harry smiled. At least Ron had a better broom now. Since Wood wasn't playing Quidditch for Puddlemere United anymore, he was letting Ron use his broom, which flew a lot better then the old school brooms. 

Harry heard voices, and looked toward the entrance. Ron and Hermione were making their way though the tables to the corner where Harry was sitting. Ron threw his bag down on the table.

"Potions, first thing," he said irritably. "Then we have Defense against the Dark Arts, and double Herbology after lunch." 

Harry groaned loudly. Potions with Snape wasn't going to be fun. Though Harry ate his breakfast as slowly as he could, Potions class still came extremely quickly. It seemed in no time at all that Harry was trudging slowly down the hallway toward the dungeons, where Potions was held. 

"Harry, Ron," Hermione hissed. "We don't want to be late!"

"True," Ron said. With that that, he started sprinting down the hallway. Harry followed, thinking that at least he knew his notes extremely well.

They arrived panting and slightly red-faced at Potions. They were the first people there. Snape wasn't even there yet…or, at least, he wasn't in sight. Nervously, they took their usual seat in the back of the room. They sat there silently, shooting apprehensive glances at one another for a minute or two. 

Fortunately, soon after, the door swung open, and most of the class came thundering in. Draco Malfoy and Crabbe and Goyle came in with the rest of them. He leered at Harry as they crossed the room. Everyone seated themselves at the tables, and pulled out some parchment and a quill, sitting quietly. It seemed that no one wanted to get Snape in a bad mood. The bell rang, signaling the beginning of thew first class. Snape swished in, robes fluttering. He stood in front of the class glaring at them all. 

"I have consulted Professor Lupin, and he has informed me you have studied about memory potions and charms," he hissed, getting started right away.

"Pointless, simple, wand waving spells. In my classroom, that sort of _rubbish _is not tolerated." He stared impressively around at them all 

"We will be concocting a healing potion for today's lesson. I will split you up into pairs, and I will write the necessary ingredients on the board. Then we'll get started." He looked around again, with a trace of his evil smile on his lips.

"Malfoy and…" he looked around the room. "Granger."

"Potter…" his lips curved into a sneer, as they always did at the mention of Harry's name. "Finnigan." 

It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. At least he hadn't gotten paired up with Malfoy. Harry glanced at Ron. He was looking at Neville and pretending to gag himself, as he had gotten paired up with Goyle. Snape had his back to the class, and was now writing the ingredients on the board. Harry, Seamus, Ron and Goyle were working at one table together.

Harry started unpacking his ingredients, setting them neatly up on the table.

"Too bad Malfoy's back," Harry whispered to Ron.

"Yeah. I wonder why he came back anyway…" Ron said. Seamus interrupted them.

"You mean you haven't heard?" He said, looking surprised.

Ron and Harry shook their heads. Seamus smiled satisfactorily. He beckoned Harry closer and whispered in his ear.

"I heard Durmstrang was too difficult for him. He's not used to actually _working _for a change. Always slacks off, doesn't he?" 

Harry glanced over at Hermione and Draco. Draco was sitting there lazily, while Hermione was bustling around unpacking everything.

"Quite true," Ron remarked. He had turned to look at Draco also. Seamus continued.

"Well, I heard that once they had their first exam he failed miserably. His dad and mum sent him back here. Besides, at Durmstrang the teachers don't show any favoritism. Unlike Snape" 

Ron was restraining back a laugh.

"You mean," he choked, "Draco came back because he wasn't smart enough?"

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Seamus said, also grinning.

"haHA!" Ron crowed. "The little git--" He stopped abruptly. Snape turned around, black eyes glittering dangerously. He looked around, trying to see who had spoken. Everyone else had instantly stopped talking, and now they busied themselves with setting up their ingredients. Snape's eyes fell on Ron, and he narrowed his eyes. Ron had an innocent look on his face as he started skinning his Traikrea Root. Snape turned back around, and continued writing directions on the board. Ron dropped the angelic look, and started to mash his beetles with a vengeance. 

Harry turned to Seamus, and they started to mix their potion.

"At least now we know why he came back," Harry laughed, as he added the Fungiless Fig to their potion. He watched it bubble in the cauldron for a moment, then started talking again, this time to Ron.

"So," he said, "The match against Slytherin is tomorrow." Ron grimaced.

"Don't remind me," he muttered darkly.

"At least you have a better broom," Harry remarked. Ron brightened a bit.

"Yeah! Have you ever been on a Firebo-oh, wait, I forgot, you _own _one. But the speed! And the precise turning!" Ron went on ranting about the Firebolt's excellent brakes and speed. He had just gotten started on

"And the look of it! The handle is so smooth…"

Snape appeared out of nowhere.   
"Talking about Quidditch in my classroom? 10 points from Gryffindor." He moved closer to Harry, and hissed,

"I'm watching you, Potter…" Harry stared stonily ahead, pretending Snape wasn't there. Snape appeared a bit disappointed with his reaction, and swept off to his desk at the front of the room.

"I'm watching you, Potter," Ron mimicked, in a exaggeratedly evil tone of voice. Harry and Seamus snorted with laughter. Harry looked around the room. Goyle was stupidly trying to mix the potion on his own, and Draco was lazily watching Hermione stir in the ingredients. Harry turned back to his own table. Ron and Seamus were having a hearty laugh over Draco.

"Probably didn't know how to do anything."

"Can you imagine him without Snape there to tell him he's doing everything _perfect, _andnever punishing him?"

"I bet he ran home crying to his _daddy_."

A silky voice broke in on their conversation.

"Talking when you're supposed to be quiet? Not doing any work _again_? A further 10 points from Gryffindor. And if I have to talk to you again it'll be 50 points." Snape had crept behind them without them noticing. Harry took his wooden spoon and stirred in the mashed beetles. He stirred the potion around and around, pretending Snape's face was in it. Speaking of Snape, he has just walked to the center of the room, and in front of Neville and Dean's table. 

"I will break this plant in half. If the potion was mixed correctly, as I doubt it has, the plant should instantaneously grow back the half that I have broken off. If not, it will most likely wither and die."

With a nasty smile, he took up a ladle full of Neville and Dean's potion. He tipped it so that a few drops splashed onto the flower whose stem he just ripped. Harry watched in fascination as it regrew the broken part of the stem. Snape, with a sour look on his face, pushed the flower back at Dean, who was grinning happily.

"Everyone, test your potion now. I will be coming around later to check your results." He smiled nastily at Harry then looked back down at the papers on his desk. Determined to get this right, Harry and Seamus poured a few drops of their potion on the flower. Nothing happened.

"Harry we're such idiots--" 

"Not as much as Malfoy," Ron snickered.

"—We didn't break the stem."

"Oh, right." Harry snapped the bottom part of the stem off and then they poured the potion onto it. Once again, the plant regrew the bottom part of its stem.

"Good, it works," Harry said with evident relief. He was afraid it wouldn't work, then Snape would come over and take another 50 points off, or something like that. Just then, Snape came around, and started checking everyone's flowers. When he came to Harry and Seamus, and he looked at their plant, he saw it had regrown its stem, and a rather disappointed look came over his face. 

"He probably thought ours wouldn't work, and then he would get to give us detention or something," Harry muttered to Seamus, after Snape had gone to check on Draco and Hermione's. Fortunately, the bell rang.

"Homework!" Snape snarled over the bell, "Write an essay on the history of the Healing Potion. I will be collecting and grading it tomorrow."

"Evil, he is," Ron groaned. "A whole essay? In one day? And he doesn't give you the least bit of credit unless it's over 3 feet long!"

They were trudging along the hallway, and into History of Magic, which was easily the most boring class. Today's lesson was no exception. Harry and Ron sank into a stupor as Professor Binns, the only teacher who was a ghost, droned on and on in a monotonous voice about the breeding of dragons being outlawed. By the time class was over, Harry had gotten a good nap in, and he walked off to lunch feeling much more alert. 

When lunch was over, they returned right back to classes. Harry had Double Divination next. Harry fell asleep once more in the class, though only for a short time. The perfumed air and warm room always made him feel a bit sleepy. Luckily, today's lesson was just Professor Trelawney droning on and on about the angles and planets. He watched the minute hand of the clock move so slowly, he could have sworn it had stopped moving altogether. He glanced at Ron. Ron's eyes were closed, and his head kept on drooping toward his desk. Harry wondered if Hermione had done the smart thing in taking Arithmancy instead of Divination. 

__

Well, he thought lazily, _you probably have to do real _work _in Arithmancy._

Finally, the bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day. Harry and Ron rushed off to Quidditch practice for the last time before their next match. 

Unlike Divination, Quidditch practice passed extremely quickly. Practice was tense. Everyone was obviously nervous over the upcoming match. Harry left practice feeling nervous, but satisfied all the same. Practice had gone well, and Harry felt that they were well prepared for tomorrow. As they walked back into the Hogwarts, the sun was already starting to set. Harry and Ron hurried into the Great Hall just in time fore dinner. Hermione, as usual, was poring over a large book. Harry and Ron ate while excitedly discussing strategies for the upcoming match. 

That night, Harry went to bed extra early, to be sure that he would be well rested for the match tomorrow. Maybe because he had gotten plenty of sleep in his classes this morning, or maybe because of his nerves, Harry wasn't able to fall asleep for a while. Everyone else had already shuffled in and fell asleep, and still, Harry lay awake, tossing and turning. It was very late indeed when he finally fallen asleep.

The next morning Harry woke feeling very alert, and well rested, despite the fact that he had fallen asleep quite late at night. The first thing he did after he got dressed in his robes was look out the window. Fortunately, it was perfect Quidditch conditions. The sky was a clear, azure blue, with only a small hint of a breeze. Here and there, puffy white clouds dotted the sky. Harry went down into the Great Hall to find that everyone else on the Quidditch team was already gathered around a table. No one seemed to be eating. If they all felt as Harry did at the moment, he could see why. Though he was very excited, he still felt very jittery. His stomach seemed full of fluttery butterflies, and if he ate anything…well…. The team just sat silently for a moment, with someone attempting to take a bite of toast, or a spoonful of porridge. Soon enough, the Slytherin team walked into the hall, already clad in their green and silver robes. Wood, who had joined the team at breakfast, looked distastefully at them.

"This is our chance," he said glancing over at the Slytherins, "To show them once and for all who's better. Everyone, just don't worry, and _have fun._ Whether we win or lose, it doesn't matter," 

It seemed to take a lot of effort for Wood to say that.

" Remember, this is _just_ a Quidditch match," He seemed to be resisting the urge to stop talking, and contradict himself, 

"Above all else, just remember to _have fun_." Whether or not Wood actually meant those words, they lifted Harry's spirits slightly. By now, the rest of the school had already come down for breakfast. 

"Let's go." The team followed Wood out the door amid thunderous applause. Harry couldn't help the huge grin that broke across his face as he saw that everyone except for the Slytherins were clapping for them. They walked outside. Wood started to mutter to himself about the conditions while pacing up and down the field.

"Sun's not completely up yet, shouldn't be a problem. Not too many clouds, light breeze, not bad."

The team watched him pace up and down, muttering all the while. Then, the doors opened and the rest of the school came thundering out of the Great Hall, and moving into the stands.

"Locker room," Wood said tersely No one spoke as they all changed into their scarlet Quidditch robes. They walked back onto the field to loud applause. Harry looked into the stands, and smiled. Most of the stadium was clad in gold and scarlet, as a sign of support for Gryffindor. There were banners and flags being waved with Gryffindor colors.

"This is it," Wood said to the team before they got into position. "You can do this." With that, they got into their positions. Harry walked forth and shook hands with the Slytherin captain very quickly. 

Madame Hooch was referring as usual. "Mount your brooms. On my whistle, now. Three...two…one!" She blew a short, sharp blast on her whistle.

"And they're off! I'm your commentator, Lee Jordan. This match will be determining the team that represents Hogwarts in the Quidditch Quest. We have Gryffindor," the roar of support shook the stadium, 

"And Slytherin." Mostly boos and jeers. 

Harry had flown high above the game to keep out of trouble. He mustn't catch the Snitch until they were 30 points up or more, so he kept an ear out for Lee's commentary.

"And it's Angelina Johnson with the Quaffle. She's flying into the scoring zone--passes to Katie Bell…SCORE! Gryffindor scores the first goal of the game, 10-0, to Gryffindor! Now it's Montague with the Quaffle. OH! Nice Bludger work there, done by Fred Weasley. Drops the Quaffle, and it's caught by Spinnet. Dodges a speeding Bludger, heading for the goal! SHE SCORES! Gryffindor in the lead, 20-0!" Excited shouts and yells filled the air.

"C'mon…" Harry said tensely, "10 more points…" He looked to the side, and saw Draco hovering in the air to his right, smirking at him.

"Keeping out of trouble, eh Potter?" He drawled. Harry chose to ignore him and sped off toward the other side of the field. 

"And it's now Gryffindor back in possession of the Quaffle. And it's Bell heading toward the goal baskets once more! She shoots-AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Harry jumped slightly as Lee gave a roar of rage.

"THE SLYTHERIN SEEKER HAS SPOTTED THE SNITCH!" Harry's heart started pounding in his chest as he turned and started speeding toward Draco. A golden glimmer of wings could be seen circling a goal basket. Draco was starting to dive, a look of triumph on his rat face. Harry's eyes widened as he shot through the air toward Draco. Harry started to dive after him, his face twisted in anguish. How could he have been so stupid as to forget that just because _he _wasn't supposed to catch the Snitch until they were 30 points up, didn't mean Draco couldn't! 

Out of nowhere a Bludger flew past his face. Harry pulled back just in time to keep it from smashing into his face. 

"Sorry about that, Harry," George yelled. He had a mischievous smile lurking on his face. Harry glanced back at the Bludger. 

__

It was now speeding toward Draco. 

"GO, GO!" Harry shouted to the Bludger. His knuckles had turned white from clutching his broom so hard. The Bludger was pelting toward Draco's face. At the last second, he spotted it. Harry saw his eyes widen in fear as he pulled out of its way. It was the Bludger made Draco lose track of the Snitch. George was grinning as if he knew that was going to happen all along. 

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Lee Jordan was yelling, "_EXCELLENT _MOVE THERE BY GRYFFINDOR BEATER GEORGE WEASLEY. SLYTHERIN SEEKER DRACO MALFOY LOSES TRACK OF THE SNITCH, THE GAME RESUMES WITH GRYFFINDOR IN THE LEAD STILL, 20-0!" The crowd was shouting and shrieking themselves hoarse.

Harry flew with renewed hope as the game continued. Only one more goal and he would be free to try and catch the Snitch as soon as possible.

"Slytherins in possession. Montague passes to Pucey…nearing the scoring area. C'mon Ron, you can do it! OH, too bad, Keeper dives and misses. Score is now 20-10 in favor of Gryffindor. Gryffindor in possession now, no Slytherin--back to Gryffindor! Johnson with the Quaffle. Passes to Spinnet, back to Johnson. DUCK ANGELINA, IT'S A BLUDGER! Ooooooooooooh, close one that was. Quaffle was dropped, but Bell catches it. Passes it to Spinnet…back to Johnson…and YES! SCORE! 30-10!" 

Harry felt the thrill of excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. If he caught the Snitch now, they could win the match. He could feel the hundreds and hundreds of eyes following him. He scanned the sky, searching for the Snitch. It was nowhere in sight. Harry dived lower a bit, until he was in the midst of the game. Draco was on the other side of the field. Harry could see him squinting everywhere, looking for signs of the Snitch. Katie zoomed past him with the Quaffle.

"And it's Bell with the Quaffle! OH THAT WAS NO MISTAKE!" Bole, one of the Slytherin beaters had just attempted to swing his Beater's bat at Katie's head. Luckily, he had missed by a fraction of an inch, but he was insisting it was a mistake. Only problem was, no one bought it because there wasn't a Bludger anywhere near him….Madame Hooch awarded Gryffindor the penalty shot. Katie flew forward to take it. She got it past the Slytherin Keeper, Bletchley, easily.

"TAKE THAT!" she shrieked at the Slytherins. 

Harry zoomed out of the way as another Bludger came pelting toward him. He felt his hair being ruffled by the breeze it had created. Thinking that maybe it was better for him to be above the game, Harry rose high into the air, still looking all around for any sign of the Golden Snitch while still listening to Lee commentating.

"And it's now Slytherin in possession. Montague with the Quaffle…now within scoring range. OH! Superb block by the new Gryffindor Keeper, Ron Weasley," Harry could see Ron's brilliantly pink face all the way from across the field.

"Play resumes. Gryffindor in possession--Oh wait, interception by Slytherin Chaser . Heading back toward the goal posts…he shoots…Keeper Weasley dives, misses, too bad. Gryffindor still in the lead, though the score is now 40-20." There was a mixture of boos and shouts from the crowd. 

"And Slytherin is back in possession of the Quaffle…Montague passes to Pucey…heading for the goal hoops…AND HERE COMES A BLUDGER! OUCH THAT MUST HAVE HURT! Hits Pucey in the stomach. Drops the Quaffle, but caught by Montague. Still heading toward the goal…he shoots…oh no, Slytherin goal. The score is now 40-30."

Urgently Harry rose even higher above the game. He was turning in circles, trying to find the Snitch. He had to catch it soon!

"Spinnet throws the Quaffle to Johnson, intercepted by Montague. He's heading toward the goals! Dodges two Bludgers…two Weasleys…Gryffindor Chaser Katie Bell…shoots…score. THE SCORE IS NOW TIED 40-40!"

Harry was scanning the sky even more urgently now. He had to find the Snitch! Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a flutter of wings.

"Fred Weasley sends a Bludger toward Malfoy, he ducks--WAIT A MOMENT, IS THAT THE SNITCH?"

Malfoy had also seen it. In a rush of excitement, Harry dove back down into the game to get the Snitch. Draco was speeding toward it also, and he was closer. But Harry was faster. He urged his broom faster and faster toward the Snitch and flattened himself down on his broom so he was going bullet fast. He and Malfoy raced once around the stadium in pursuit of the Snitch, not letting it out of their sight. 

The rest of the players had all stopped playing to watch them chase the Snitch. Harry accelerated and pulled ahead of Malfoy. He was within a foot of the Snitch! He reached out an arm and tried to snatch the Snitch up. It was _just _out of range. Malfoy was even with Harry now. Harry took both hands of the broom and tried once more to catch it. Malfoy was now falling slightly behind again. Harry urged his broom faster. He reached out with his hand and stretched as far as he could. It was now within catching distance!

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" Draco yelled from behind. His eyes were sparkling maliciously. He took out his wand, which he had hidden underneath his Quidditch robes.

"ACCIO SNITCH!!" Before Harry could do anything, the Snitch zoomed from his outstretched fingers and into Draco's hand. 

Madame Hooch's whistle sounded. Lee Jordan sounded stunned.

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT, MALFOY CATCHES THE SNITCH, SLYTHERIN WINS 190-40!" 

Harry had landed and started yelling furiously.

"HE HAD HIS WAND HIDDEN UP HIS SLEEVE!" Harry roared, "DIDN'T ANYONE SEE HIM??!!! HE USED A SUMMONING SPELL TO CATCH IT!!!"

Wood has approached Harry. He was ghostly pale.

"He caught it himself, Harry. I'm disappointed also, but there's no need to make excuses--"

"HE USED HIS WAND!! DIDN'T ANYONE SEE??" Harry bellowed, absolutely spitting with rage. "I'M _NOT_ MAKING EXCUSES! _HE USED MAGIC TO CATCH THE SNITCH!_ I'M TELLING YOU OLIVER!" Wood looked slightly hopeful, but then shook his head dejectedly.

"We lost, Harry. We'll just have to come to terms with it."

Harry couldn't believe this. NO ONE had seen Draco cheat? He looked at Draco now. He was being lifted upon the shoulders of the Slytherin team. The Gryffindor supporters in the crowd were all looking mutinous as the Slytherin supporter cheered their brains out. Harry turned away; he couldn't bear to watch. Draco _had _cheated. Harry was sure of that. But no one would believe him! He looked around. The rest of the team had trudged inside already, and besides the crowd and the Slytherin team, no one was left outside. Harry turned to walk inside and found himself smacking into Albus Dumbledore. 

"Professor!" Harry yelped, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"

"Quite all right, Harry," Dumbledore said with a crooked smile. "Now, I have been hearing some strange things. Mr. Wood has told me that you have said Draco was cheating?"

Harry blushed slightly, although he knew it was true. He hoped Dumbledore didn't think he was just making excuses.

"Er, yes," Harry said nervously. "I saw him use a summoning spell to catch the Snitch."

"Well," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "I have not known you to lie under these kind of circumstances, so I will take your word for it. However, there is a certain spell one can use to test this….It is called Prior Incantato." 

Harry vaguely remembered hearing something like that. It was at the Quidditch World Cup last year, and Winky, a house elf had been found holding a wand. Accused of conjuring the dark mark, Mr. Diggory had used Prior Incantato to see what spell the wand had last performed. Harry's hopes started to rise. If Dumbledore performed the spell, they would know Malfoy had cheated for sure!

"Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore was calling over the shouts of the crowd. "Could you come here for a moment? Bring your wand."

It was then that the rest of the Gryffindor team came thundering out of the locker room.

"Oh Harry, we're so sorry, we've been acting like it was all your fault, but it isn't. You've practically never lost us a match before, and the one time you do we--" Angelina stopped dead as he saw Dumbledore there. She stopped talking and looked curiously back and forth between the scowling Draco, Harry, and Dumbledore.

"I will be testing Mr. Malfoy's wand to see if what Harry has been saying is true," Dumbledore explained calmly. Draco had turned ghostly white.

"He's lying!" Draco spat, pointing at Harry, "He just can't _accept _that Slytherin has a better Quidditch team than Gryffindor!"

Oliver's face purpled at these words, but he restrained himself from saying anything.

"Well, we'll see," Dumbledore said smoothly. "Please hand me your wand, Mr. Malfoy." Draco, now looking extremely frightened, handed over his wand very reluctantly at Dumbledore's kind, but firm insistence.

Dumbledore took out his own wand, and placed it tip to tip with Draco. Harry saw Draco's eyes widen with fear as he realized he was about to get caught. 

"_Prior Incantato,_" Dumbledore muttered.

He pointed Draco's wand at a large acorn resting nearby on the ground. It shot from the grass and zoomed into Dumbledore's outstretched hand.

Draco's eyes were now darting anywhere but at Dumbledore.

"I think this proves that you did not catch the Snitch of your own accord," Dumbledore said, eyes flashing. "For this heinous act of cheating, Slytherin forfeits the match. Gryffindor is now rightfully the House team that will represent Hogwarts in the Quidditch Quest." Dumbledore smiled at the Gryffindor team.

For a moment there was a stunned silence. The crowd had not left the stadium yet, and it sounded like some kind of jet revving up slowly. The cheering grew louder and louder until it erupted into full-blown shrieks and screams. Wood, who has been looking temporarily speechless, now threw himself into Harry, sobbing loudly. 

"I KNEW YOU WERE TELLING THE TRUTH HARRY, I DIDN'T DOUBT YOU FOR A MINUTE!" He choked.

Hermione, who had come down from the stands after the announcement was made, rolled her eyes. She smiled happily as she saw Ron and Harry, along with the rest of the Gryffindor team, being lifted onto the shoulders of the chanting crowd. Harry and Ron just grinned widely back at her, temporarily speechless.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Draco looking as vindictive as ever. The rest of the Slytherin team had left in disgust, and he alone remained in the middle of the field, looking furious as he kicked angrily at a rock on the ground. For a moment Harry felt sorry for him. Just for a moment. For now, he wanted to just bathe in the limelight of getting to represent Gryffindor in the Quidditch Quest.


	8. Lily and James Potter

It was in a dark deserted house where they met. The round moon shone eerily though the misty clouds. A light breeze ruffled the leaves on the ground, causing them to swirl upward in the air. An owl hooted, and the sound echoed around the quiet neighborhood. In the middle of the street, the leaves were still swirling…around and around like a cyclone. They rose higher and higher until they were tall enough for a man to stand in. Suddenly, the breeze stopped blowing, and the leaves dropped. Out from behind them, a skeletally thin man emerged, a short, squat little man trailed behind him, breathing loudly compared to the quiet of the street. They walked into the dark, deserted house. Voices could be heard from inside.

"Four times he has escaped me…but this time…I will not fail. You've prepared everything Wormtail?" There was a small, whimpering noise.

"Pathetic fool. Worthless and traitorous as you are, you have your uses. Nagini won't be getting you tonight. But one more one more mistake--" He trailed off ominously. 

"No, never, Master! I live to serve you…!" 

There was a harsh, mirthless laugh. 

"No matter…once Potter hears of this he will surely want to visit here…. And I'll be waiting for him."

The quiet street was lit up with a blinding flash of green light. The same cruel laughter sounded, high and loud. Then the light went out. There was no trace at all that anyone had entered the house that night. Nothing was left as the street, dark and deserted once more, slept on

Faint streaks of sunlight colored the otherwise dark horizon. The sun was rising ever so slowly, starting to spread its warmth to the world. Outside, the Hogwarts grounds were still dark. Harry Potter tossed restlessly in his bed. He woke up quite suddenly, sitting up and looking around. Seeing nothing, he relaxed slightly.

"It was Voldemort!" Harry whispered quietly. "I had a dream, and Voldemort was in it…he was preparing something …for me!" He forced himself to take deep calming breaths. He hadn't woken up like this since the summer... Did that nightmare mean anything? His scar wasn't hurting…

__

Of course not, he reassured himself. _It was just a nightmare. Nothing to worry about. _

But he still couldn't shake that old familiar, uneasy feeling of being watched. Harry had spent almost the whole night staying up in the Gryffindor common room, celebrating their win over Slytherin. When he had finally gotten to bed, it had been well past midnight. Now, his lack of sleep caught up to him.

__

I'll tell Dumbledore tomorrow morning, Harry thought sleepily. _Yes, Dumbledore'll know what to do._ With that, he lay back down and was asleep before his head hit the pillow. However, when Harry woke the next morning, he didn't remember the dream at all.

* * *

"Pass the jam tarts." Ron said to Hermione. He yawned loudly, then grinned happily at Harry, who was sitting across from him.

"I still can't believe we won yesterday! Lucky, really, that you ran into Dumbledore!"

"Yeah," Harry said, "Or else no one would've believed me." He looked slyly at Ron, who was looking rather sheepish. "Everyone would've thought I was just making excuses."

Just then, the morning mail came. A brown barn owl came soaring out of the bunch, and dropped a parcel into Hermione's lap. 

"What's that?" Harry asked curiously.

"Probably the Daily Prophet," Hermione said, while unwrapping the package. This was of no importance to Harry, so he turned back to Ron.

"Did anyone say when the next match was going to be? Or _who _it was going to be against?"

"I don't think so," Ron replied thoughtfully, "But I think Dumbledore should tell--"

__

Clang. 

Hermione had dropped her goblet, which had been filled to the brim with pumpkin juice. It now lay knocked over, staining several feet of the white tablecloth that covered the tables.

"What is it, Hermione?" Ron questioned. Mutely she pointed to the newspaper.

"What is it, Rita Skeeter again?" Harry said cautiously. She shook her head, still pointing. Ron snatched it up and read the headline. He too turned ghastly white.

"What?" Harry asked, who was now quite alarmed. "What does it say?" Ron pointed wordlessly at the newspaper. Grabbing it, Harry flipped it over to the front page. When he saw the big bold headline jumping out at him, his heart nearly stopped beating.

****

BREAKING NEWS-WITCH IN KENT CONCOCTS POTION THAT IS SAID TO REVIVE THE DEAD

_A Professor Magnolia Crescent of Kent has done the unthinkable. After twelve years of work, she has concocted a potion that is said to bring back the dead. Writes Arnold Gritner, Daily Prophet Reporter. Just yesterday, after twelve years of hard work, renowned witch, Blossom Crescent, mixed a potion that brings back the people from our past. "Of course," she is quoted, "Not everyone can use this potion. It is extremely difficult to make, and is very complicated to prepare." When experimenting in her office, she says this potion "Just felt like it would work. Sure enough, tried it on me old cat Snowball, and it now she's back, playful as ever." No doubt once the public hears about this, she'll have many witches and wizards clamoring for a batch. "Of cpurse," she says, "Obviously, not everyone will be able to get some! Only the real important people, if any at all."_

Harry was flabbergasted. 

"Didn't Dumbledore say once that there was no way to bring back the dead?" he said, after a moment of dead silence, trying to make a brave stab at conversation.

"I guess there is now," Hermione said in a hushed voice. Then she voiced Harry's own thoughts. 

"But Harry, your parents, they were important to the wizard world, weren't they? If--" She was cut off.

"No," Harry said flatly. "Didn't you read the article? _Really_ important people. They'd probably bring…I dunno, George Washington back to life or something."

"Who's that?" Ron asked, bewildered. He cleared his throat. "But Harry," he continued, "Your parents were important, weren't they? Why else would You-Know-Who go off looking for them?"

"NO," Harry said flatly. He had had too many disappointments in his life. "I'm not going to get my hopes up about this. Besides, it probably doesn't even work. I'm going back to bed."

With that, he turned abruptly on his heel and practically sprinted out of the Great Hall, leaving Hermione and Ron speechless. Lucky it was a weekend. He ran into the common room, ignoring the stares of the Gryffindors he passed. He collapsed onto his four-poster, breathing deeply. 

__

No, no, no. He thought. _Your parents are DEAD. Nothing will change that._ _Well, that wasn't quite correct…the new potion could... _

NO! He told himself fiercely. _Remember what happened with Sirius? You thought you were going to live with him. How did that turn out? And just last year. You finally get up the nerve to ask Cho Chang to go with you to the Yule Ball, and what happens there? She turns you down. Do you really think this would be any different? It would just be more disappointment._

But what if it worked? Said that second little voice in the back of his mind. _What if your mum and dad came back? How happy would you be then?_

NO! He told both of the little voices forcefully. _I am NOT going to get my hopes up, just to get them dashed to pieces again. Besides, I probably wouldn't be able to convince them to use it anyway._

But Harry couldn't help it. He had lived most of his life without his parents, and some part of his mind was always longing for them. Now…all that could be changed. It hurt so much to know that bringing his parents back to life was possible…and yet he couldn't do it. He was filled with a sense of longing and sadness. His heart wasn't in the words he was telling himself. Suddenly, his mood changed.

__

You know what? He said to himself yet again, _I could always try, can't I? It won't hurt to ask Dumbledore…The worst thing is that he'll say no, and you'll be no worse off than you are now. And if he says yes…I'll ask him right now,_ he decided suddenly. Harry couldn't stand just sitting there, knowing maybe he could have his parents back, and not do anything about it. _Yes, I'll ask him right now,_ he thought again.

With a determined look set on his face, he got off the bed, and started to run out of the boy's dormitory. He burst into the common room, and ran through it. He sprinted out into the corridor, his desire to see his parents again burning stronger and stronger. _Dumbledore should say yes, _he rationalized, _I mean, my mum and dad _were_ important weren't they? Why else would they be forced to go into hiding? And that Crescent woman said it was only going to be used to bring important people back, right?_ He came to an abrupt stop in front of the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office.

"Cauldron--cake," he said, panting. The gargoyle slid out of the way, revealing a long corridor. Harry walked through it, taking the chance to catch his breath. He reached the large wooden door that was the entrance to Dumbledore's office. He knocked on the oak door loudly. It swung open on the hinges, and Harry found himself looking up at the twinkling half-moon spectacles, and long white silver beard of Albus Dumbledore. 

"Ah, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said beaming, "Do come in." Suddenly awkward, Harry stepped inside. He spotted a copy of the Daily Prophet lying open on the desk. It seemed that Dumbledore himself had also been reading the same article.

Dumbledore saw the direction in which Harry was looking, and a gentle smile broke across his face.

"Ah, Harry," he began, "I predicted that you'd be coming up here to talk to me."

"Er-Professor," Harry said, without beating around the bush, "Do you, er, think that maybe…they could bring my mum and dad…back to life?"

Dumbledore suddenly frowned, and Harry's heart plummeted to his toes.

"That's a good question, Harry," Dumbledore said, frowning. Harry, who was beginning to feel panicked, burst out,

"But Professor, it said in the article that they could use it to bring back the important people right? And weren't my parents…er, important to the magical world?"

"Important..in what way?" Dumbledore asked, looking slightly surprised.

"Well, I'm not quite sure, but they, er, they must have been important for Voldemort to be after them, right?"

"Oh, of course," Dumbledore looked more relaxed. "Yes, they were important, Harry,"

"So can't we bring them back? They could-er-help defeat Voldemort! Didn't they help you do that before they died?"

"Yes, they did," Dumbledore said with a faint smile lingering on his face, "That could be taken into consideration."

"Do you mean…" Harry said, his hopes rising.

Dumbeldore's smile widened.

"Yes, I do believe Professor Crescent would take bring Lily and James Potter back to life into consideration…Of course," he added more seriously, "Lily and James were more important than you know, Harry, for…reasons you must not know at the present moment," Harry was too happy to think about these words,

"D'you, really mean…D'you really mean she'll bring my parents back?" Dumbledore didn't quite answer the question, but looked slightly worried,

"Harry," He said hesitantly, "Don't get too hopeful…There is a very large margin for error, and the potion may not work at all…" But Harry wasn't listening to him, for once.

"Thank you Professor!" He said excitedly, "I gotta go tell Ron and Hermione now, I…" He gave an excited laugh,

"I'm getting my parents back, I--!" He stopped talking, and bolted out of the room, waving a cheery goodbye over his shoulder. Amusedly, Dumbledore watched him run out of the room. Again, a slight frown crossed his face.

"I _do_ hope it works," he murmured. "For your sake and mine…"

Meanwhile, Harry had been sprinting at top speed down the corridors. He couldn't believe it. _He would have his mum and dad back! _He didn't think it had really sunk in yet. _I'm getting my mum and dad back_ he thought numbly. _I won't have to live with the Dursleys…I can have Ron and Hermione over in the summer…I could actually come home on Christmas…_

He pushed open the door to the common room and spotted Hermione and Ron sitting in a quiet corner, conversing quietly. His face flushed with excitement, Harry ran over to them. Unable to hold in the news any longer he beckoned them closer.

"Ron, Hermione," he said, "Dumbledore said the Crescent woman could _bring my parents back._"

Their jaws dropped. Ron looked stunned.

"You're…you're serious?" Harry nodded excitedly, and Hermione squealed. 

"Oh Harry!" she said breathlessly, "I'm so happy for you! We'll get to meet your parents! You won't have to live with the Dursleys!"

"When?" Ron asked.

"I dunno. Dumbledore said he would have to ask the lady, but that he thought she would say yes." Ron and Hermione were almost as excited as Harry. They huddled into a corner, talking about the endless possibilities, now that Harry would be having his parents back. 

They stopped momentarily for a small lunch, and again in the evening for a short dinner. They never ran out of things to say. The stars were already out when Harry went to bed. The moon was half full. It shone a beacon of light over the castle. _Maybe there is such thing as happy endings,_ Harry thought, staring thoughtfully out at that beam of light. He certainly hoped so. He climbed into bed quietly, and slid underneath the soft covers. He stared up at the red canopy after removing his glasses. _I'm going to have parents again_, he thought for the millionth time that day. _Mum and dad are coming back. I'll be in a real family. I'll be loved. I won't be so alone…there will be someone there to be proud of me, someone I can go to for advice. People to love. People who will really care for me._

Harry fell asleep with a contented smile on his face, all these thoughts swirling around in his head. He had never dreamed that this would ever happen. His life would be so much better now. So much different. Now the only hard part would be the waiting.

* * *

The morning dawned, bright and sunny. The weather seemed to be celebrating with Harry. It was an unusually warm day for December. A crisp breeze ruffled the leaves, and sky was a clear blue, with a few fluffy clouds dotting the horizon. All though his classes, Harry kept thinking what doing all this would be like if his parents were there.

In Transfiguration, Harry tried and tried, but couldn't manage to change his parchment into a leaf. He couldn't help thinking that if his parents were there, he could write them, and ask for help or something of the sort. In Potions, try as he might, he couldn't get his Memory Concoction to thicken. He thought that maybe he could ask his parents about that too. And so, he continued like this the whole day, usually with a blissful smile on his face, despite the taunts from Snape, the reprimands from McGonagall, sneers from Draco…he just ignored them all. He was going to have parents again! He still couldn't really believe it. Things were going to be so different…

It was after dinner, when Harry was daydreaming yet again about his parents so intently that he didn't notice the person walking toward him. He bumped right into Dumbledore.

"Oh, Professor," he gasped, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you there!"

"Quite all right," Dumbledore said, smiling kindly down at him. "As a matter of fact, I was just looking for you. I was talking to Professor Crescent yesterday afternoon," Harry's eyes widened. "And she, of course, agreed to use her potion for you," Harry felt like he was going to burst with happiness. Again. "Tomorrow afternoon, she will be flying in to Hogwarts. We will go somewhere, er, more _private,_ and then she will use the potion."

Harry was aware of his head nodding yes all by itself. He was slightly aware of walking away, and back into the common room. Without thinking much, he told Hermione and Ron excitedly. Hermione squealed and Ron had a smile almost as big as Harry's stretched across his face. Eagerly, they ran into the library to talk some more. It seemed that Hermione and Ron were also happy at the thought of Harry's parents coming back. They knew how lonely he could be, and he guessed they felt sorry for him…but not anymore! His parents were coming back! Harry just kind of drifted in and out of his thoughts for the rest of the day. He still couldn't believe it, really. Occasionally, he pulled his head out of the clouds to jot down a few notes in class, maybe to cast some sort of spell. But other than that, his thoughts stayed on his parents. He would be so happy when they were back! He would never be lonely. Well, not as much as he was now. 

The day just passed by in a blur. It seemed in no time at all that again, he was lying down to go to bed again…

__

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Harry, I miss you. 

I miss you too, mum.

I wish I could speak to you Harry. I wish I could see the young man you have become. I wish we could really speak to each other

But we can! Dumbledore is using a potion on you and dad tomorrow. You're coming back! I'm going to see you.

I'm sorry Harry, terribly sorry.

For what? I'm going to see you tomorrow! We'll be a family again. A real family.

I love you Harry. Always remember that. But I'm sorry Harry. So sorry… 

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Harry sat bolt upright in his bed, sweat pouring down his face. He closed his eyes briefly. He had been dreaming about his mother…but thought was nagging him in the back of his mind. _Today's the day! _He thought suddenly, _My parents are back today!_ The dream was totally forgotten. He pulled on his robes in record time, and dashed downstairs. 

It seemed to be very early dawn. The sun was slowly rising from the sky like a great orange, its light shining through the little cracks in the shades like hopeful little rays of sunshine. Harry was the only one in the Great Hall. It seemed so empty and quiet without the usual chatter and talk he was used to hearing. Contently, Harry sat down at the empty Gryffindor table and leaned back, closing his eyes briefly. His thoughts returned to the dream. But the details were rushing away from him. All he could remember was that it had been about his mother…He pushed those thoughts aside and returned again to his thoughts of the potion. _I wonder when that woman will come,_ Harry thought, _I want to get it started as soon as possible!_ Harry lost himself in his thoughts yet again. 

He was just daydreaming at what Christmas would be like now, when he felt a light touch on his shoulder. Harry let out a strangled yelp and leapt up from the chair. Not for the first time, he bumped into Albus Dumbeldore. 

"I'm sorry if I startled you, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore said, a bemused smile on his face, "But I thought you might like to know, Professor Crescent was arrived." Harry, who had been wondering why Dumbledore was there, jumped again. His heart was beating faster now. It was almost time.

"If you'll follow me to my office." Harry gulped and got up, he followed Dumbledore, vaguely wondering if should have woken Hermione and Ron to come with him. In the end he decided this was something he would rather do himself. They had reached the stone gargoyle. 

"Wizard Pop," Dumbledore said promptly, and the statue slid open. Harry felt the butterflies in his stomach increase as he walked the door. Sensing Harry's apprehension, Dumbledore turned and smiled at him. 

"The potion will be concocted in my office," He explained, "Professor Crescent is waiting for us in there."

Harry seemed to have lost his ability to talk. Mutely, he nodded. It was funny. All that week, Harry had been ecstatic at the idea of having his parents back. Now, he was a little nervous. What if they were really strict? What if they didn't get along? What if the potion didn't work? Harry shut these questions firmly out of his head as he walked into the room.

A short little woman with a kind face sat there. She was sitting in a large armchair that seemed to swallow her up. Her brown hair was up in a bun, and streaked with gray, and she wore small spectacles that looked like they would fall off her nose any minute. At the noise of the door opening, she gave a small squeak and jumped a foot in the air. When she saw it was only Dumbledore she relaxed. Then her gaze fell on Harry. 

"Well, if it isn't the famous Harry Potter!" She said with a playful smile on her lips. 

Harry grinned in return. He knew she wasn't really serious. He warmed to this little old lady instantly. She was a grandmotherly type, a little bit like Mrs. Figg, as a matter of fact…Harry, who was now anxious to get to the potion, asked nervously,

"Erm, is it all right if I--If you--If we--"

"Start." Professor Crescent said, laughing. "Yes, very direct this one." She turned back to Dumbledore. "Did you explain to the boy how it works?" Dumbledore shook his head.

"Afraid it slipped my mind, Magnolia," He said.

"No problem at all, Albus. Well Harry, it's too complicated to go into the details, but basically, to work the potion you must first, of course, brew it. You start a small fire, large enough for someone to look into."

"Why do you want to look into-" Harry began. She gave him a look, and kept talking.

"You will pour the potion into the fire. Whisper the name, or names, in this case, of the people who you want back. You stare into the fire and you begin to see how they died. However, right before they die, something will happen to save them. In your case, Harry, perhaps they will run, and not get killed somehow. Perhaps they'll be able to hold You-Know-Who off. Anything is possible. Then, the picture will disappear from the fire, and your parents will Apparate into this room. It is more complicated than that, but it's the best way I can explain it for you to understand." She glanced cautiously at him. "However," she continued, "there is a large margin for error. There is a chance that it will not work…"

"Yeah, yeah sure," Harry said breathlessly, "Lets just get it done now," He was so excited he didn't notice Professor Crescent and Dumbledore exchanging worried glances at each other.

"Ahem," Dumbledore said loudly, "Before we start, I would just like to have a short chat with Professor Crescent." Dumbledore looked at Harry. Harry was off daydreaming again, and he didn't hear a word Dumbledore had just said. Smiling gently, Dumbledore led Ms. Crescent out of the room. He closed the thick wooden door behind him.

"Do you really think we should go through with this?" Dumbledore questioned worriedly.

"Of course!" Ms. Crescent said indignantly.

"But if it doesn't work, the boy will be crushed!" Dumbledore insisted.

"Oh, it'll work, Albus, don't worry."

"I'm just concerned about Harry. Just look how much he's been looking forward to this. If it doesn't work, as it very well may not, he'll be disappointed indeed…"

"Albus," Professor Crescent said, looking rather offended, "Are you saying you don't think my potion will work?"

"Oh no, Magnolia," Dumbledore said hastily, "It's just that reviving the dead can lead to extremely complicated consequences.."

"Don't be such a worrywart Albus," Professor Crescent said briskly, "It'll work."

Dumbledore nodded reluctantly, then pulled open the door and held it open. Harry was sitting there, the exact same expression on his face, sitting in the exact same position, a happy smile on his face. Dumbledore gave Professor Crescent a look, as if to say _See?_ Professor Crescent ignored it and tapped Harry on the shoulder. Harry gave a start, then when he saw it was only Ms. Crescent he relaxed. 

"Is it time to start?" he asked right away.

"Yes," Professor Crescent said with a smile. "Now, I'll start the fire…" She waved her wand and a large cauldron of some sort appeared in the middle of Dumbledore's office. "Now," she said with a wave her wand. Instantly, blue flames began to flicker in the cauldron. The fire roared until it was rising over the cauldron. 

Alarmed, Harry backed up a little. Professor Crescent was now muttering incantations and waving her wand around the fire. The flames turned more of a reddish color now, and roared bigger still, remaining, of course, in the fire. 

"Almost ready," Professor Crescent mouthed at Harry. Harry's heart began beating a mile a minute, hammering away. In a few moments, his parents would be back! 

Still muttering, Professor Crescent drew a small jar out of her pocket. Harry stared at it, and saw a red colored , glutinous liquid in it. Unscrewing the jar, Professor Crescent held it over the flames.

__

This is it, Harry thought wildly his heart pounding faster than ever. Professor Crescent poured the now bubbling liquid into the fire. It roared even louder, but this time, didn't get any larger. Amazed, Harry saw a picture appear in the middle of the fire. It was like a miniature television screen. Despite his earlier fear, Harry edged closer to the little screen and peered at it. A picture had formed…

**

__

A snowy owl called as it took flight from a signpost. The signpost was old, wooden, and has a certain magical air around it. In an old English print it read "Godric's Hollow". The owl swooped under an ancient lantern and out of sight. Godric's Hollow might have looked strange to an outsider, but it held a type of warmth, a sense of welcoming that most places lacked in the dead of night. 

Somehwere, a clock struck midnight ,and the owl hooted as it traveled farther away. In a window, three doors down from the sign, a light shown a beacon in the foggy night air. Here a red-haired woman sat alone at a timeworn table and stared into a foggy crystal ball. 

"You should really get some sleep." A man with unkempt jet black hair had walked into the room, carrying a one-year-old child that looked like a tiny replica of himself. The red-haired woman pulled herself out of the trance and looked up, her green eyes showing her worry.

"I really don't see how I could, James," she said, a slight waver in her voice. Was it panic? 

"Do you think we made the right decision with Peter?" 

"I honestly don't know, Lily," James said, strain showing on his face.

"I wish I did," He added as an afterthought. He shook himself and looked at his wife. "Do I want to know what you were looking at?" he asked, gesturing to the crystal ball.

"I don't even want to know," Lily said with a sigh. "At least I know it's one of the most-" "Unreliable branches of magic," James finished her sentence, having heard it one too many times before. "Yet I can't brush away the fact that it's the reason we're in this situation." After a stretch of silence, James changed the subject, apparently not wanting to think about "this situation" anymore. 

"Tell me," he said, a smile playing on his face now. "What do you see in the future for Harry?" He gestured towards their son, the boy he was holding. 

"Hmmm…" Lily said, mocking deep thought. She obviously didn't want to think about the seriousness that they were facing either. She twirled her hands around the crystal ball and her eyes changed slightly. The green became a little brighter, a little more solid. James always loved watching her "inner eye" shift, just as Lily always loved the way his hair was so unkempt yet so natural. Despite the fact that they were both under stress, they couldn't worry at this moment, both reminded of their love for each other. 

"I see…" Lily began in a melodramatic voice, playing along. James chuckled and Lily cracked a smile before continuing on. In actuality, Lily did see something, but she didn't want to tell James. It was the same thing she had been staring at before he interrupted her. Her stomach gave a lurch, but she just couldn't bring herself to tell James. He was still under the impression that they may be able to come out of this with all of their lives. Yet, Lily knew this was not possible. She had seen that her son would be the key to Lord Voldemort's downfall and ultimate death, and that this would eventually involve all three of their sacrifices. Holding this information from James was killing her, but she just couldn't bring herself to ruin this moment. After all, Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. Maybe her worries were clouding her vision...She knew this wasn't true though, nothing ever got in the way of her vision. Although she wouldn't admit it, she was an outstanding Divinator. 

Even if this was a poor excuse, she had to keep that sense of doubt. And as long as that doubt was present, there was no point in worrying James. Lily went on with her mock prediction, not letting her worries show and alert him. She'd have plenty of time to worry later.

"I see… He will be a great Quidditch player," She began knowing James wanted her to say it. 

"Tell me something that might surprise me," James said, knowing she was making it up, but wanting to keep the "prediction" going. Lily sighed with a smile playing on her face. "Ah! But I see he will be a great seeker, not the mediocre Chaser that you are." James rolled his eyes, He was, in fact, an excellent chaser, and wished his son to be the same. Yet a seeker was even better, so he held back his complaint of not having his son follow in his immediate footsteps. 

"He will do great things…" Lily continued forming her son's future. 

Meanwhile… Back at the signpost a man appeared with the swish of a cloak. He was pale, so pale, in fact, that he was an unnatural white. Yet the most striking thing about him was his face. It was like that of a snake's with fierce red cat's eyes. By the way he walked quickly down the street he was clearly on a mission. A cold followed him, replacing the warmth and welcoming, extinguishing the lantern. Oh, he was clearly going to enjoy this, he thought to himself. The prophecy that gave that Mudblood loving fool, Dumbledore, so much hope at defeating him would now be shattered. 

Inside their house, Lily and James felt the chill, the change of the air. Lily stopped talking and they stared into each other's eyes, holding their breath. 

"It can't be," Lily whispered, knowing full well that it could and was. 

"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him!" James thrust Harry into Lily's arms. She hesitated, not wanting to leave James, knowing that she may (would) never see him again. 

"Go! Run!" James shouted in frustration, pulling out his wand. "I'll hold him off-" James knew that he couldn't, that his death was only seconds away- yet Lily and Harry still may live, if only he could just give them time. Lily looked at James- he wouldn't change his mind. Sprinting over, baby Harry in her arms, she gave him one last kiss on the cheek. 

"I love you," Lily said, tears starting in her eyes. 

"I love you too." He cast a terrified glance toward the doorway. "Run! Now!" He yelled. Sadly, she gave him one last look as she stumbled from the room.

**

The present Harry was still staring into the fire. He turned to Dumbledore, his eyes filled with terror. 

"Professor," Harry said wildly, "Shouldn't something be happening now? Shouldn't they both escape? _Shouldn't they?_" Dumbledore just continued as if he hadn't heard him. He just kept staring into the fire. Heart heavy with dread, Harry turned back.

**

__

No sooner had she left than the front door burst open. Voldemort's cruel laugh filled the home. 

"Avada Kedavra!" Lily heard the curse- James was dead, there was no way he could block it. Tears were streaming down her face. James was dead--and she knew within minutes she would be too. She stumbled to the back door, but the knob wouldn't budge- He had trapped them. She turned to around, pressing her back to the door and sinking to the floor as Voldemort entered the room, his red eyes blazing and his laugh still bouncing off the walls. Instinctively she shielded Harry as her eyes filled with tears of lost hope. He advanced on her, pointing his wand at Harry.

"Give me the child and you need not die," he said calmly. Lily would never hand over her child. She began to plead for his life, "Not Harry, not Harry please- I'll do anything, not Harry." 

"Stand aside, you silly girl." Lily held tighter to Harry, refusing to give up her son- to let him be murdered as James just was. She would die before she let that happen. 

"Stand aside now."

"Not Harry, please no take me kill me instead-" 

"You need not die, it's the boy I want" "Not Harry! Please!" Lily pleaded. Finally she abandoned all hope and went to prayer. 

"Have mercy…have mercy," she whispered as she continued to shield her child. Voldemort's laugh once again rung out as he called, 

"Avada Kedavera!" Lily screamed as she heard the curse, fearing that it had been directed towards Harry. With a blinding flash of green light, it hit her and she was dead within a second.

Harry, who had been silent all this time, now began to bawl as his mother died holding him in her arms. 

"Avada Kedavera!" Voldemort shouted one last time, directing the curse towards the child, but the green bolt rebounded off of him, searing his forehead and burning his eyes. Voldemort's laughs turned to shrieks as the curse hit him and ripped his soul from his body.

Harry's cries now sounded more like screams, echoing into the night. The fresh cut that resembled a lightning bolt burning permanently into his skin. 

**

Harry closed his eyes briefly, aware that silent tears were streaming down his face. 

"It didn't work, did it?" he whispered into the fire, which was now only a pile of glowing ashes. 

"My parents aren't coming back. The potion didn't work."

A/N: the part enclosed in the asterisks (**) and italics were NOT written by me. I got permission to include it in my story, they were written by whitemudfounder [ejk33@hotmail.com]. 


	9. Something Missing Inside

Harry became suddenly aware that the room, which had grown dark, was now becoming light. Dumbledore was just staring blankly ahead, blinking his eyes as though trying to hold something back…was it tears? Professor Crescent was staring at the floor, head lowered, an odd sort of sniffling noise coming from her. _There's nothing to be sad about,_ Harry said to himself _They're still dead. Just like before. _He didn't manage to convince himself.

__

They're never coming back, Harry realized. Tears were coming down his face. So that was how his parents died. They died trying to save _him._ The tears were still pouring down. Harry lowered his head, wiping angrily at his eyes with his sleeve. _They're never coming back. Ever. The only reason they died in the first place was trying to save me. They're dead. Dead. Forever. Because of me._ The words echoed around Harry's head. 

Harry turned on his heel and walked quickly out of the room, deaf to Dumbledore and Ms. Crescent's stammers. He sprinted through the hallways, not caring when he knocked into people. He made it into the common room, and ran the steps up to his dormitory. Luckily, there was no one there. Harry flung himself on his bed facedown into the pillow. Harry had really, truly believed that his parents were coming back. He had grown so used to the idea that they were coming back. But when it didn't work, it was like they had died all over again. Like he had lost his parents again. Only now, he was old enough the understand it. To know what it meant. And it hurt. Forced himself to stop crying. It was stupid, and there was no need. He scrubbed at his red eyes angrily with his hands. He didn't want people to stare at him. He lay on his back on the bed, with the red curtains drawn tightly around the bed. He stared numbly up at the ceiling. 

Suddenly, he heard the door creak open. 

"Harry," said a timid voice, "It's Hermione…Do you want to talk, Harry?" Hermione and Ron had probably seen him run into the dormitory.

Harry lay still in his bed, pretending he wasn't there. 

"Harry…" he heard Hermione say slowly. "Well, if you ever want to talk….I'm here." She closed the door, and Harry heard her footsteps echoing behind her in the silent hallway. Harry just lay there. Soon afterward, he heard the door open again. This time it was Ron. 

"Harry?" He said awkwardly, "Hermione told me you were up here…er, do you want to…talk? Wait…what happened? Oh no, that's probably not the best question to ask…" Despite what had happened Harry cracked a small smile. However, he remained silent. He still didn't want to tell them about it just yet…Ron, sensing that Harry was still trying to pretend he wasn't there, didn't question him further. He shut the door with an audible sigh, and Harry was left by himself again. 

He lay there for quite a while. He was only slightly aware of lunch passing…then it was dinner…and still, Harry just lay on his bed. The light slowly turned to dark, the sun setting, descending into the darkness and gloom. It became less and less visible with every minute. Sinking and leaving everything else that had once been bright into a darkened gloom. Like Harry's hope.

Before today, the world had seemed bright and sunny, all rainbows and happy things. Now, hope and happiness seemed like something distant on the horizon, something that had slipped away. Leaving everything else in a dark, melancholy land. He stared at the red canopy above him, which had become so familiar. The darkness enveloped Harry, making him feel small and alone. It was like he had this empty feeling inside of him, inside of his heart. 

Something was missing, something that Harry knew could never be filled. It left him feeling empty and hopeless. He knew that Hermione and Ron would try to understand, but in truth…they would never understand how Harry felt. They both didn't know how it really felt to not have parents…to not have someone to love you...

It was then that the dorm room door burst open. The chatter quieted instantly as they entered the room. Harry was aware of the hushed whispers, and he could practically feel all the pairs of eyes on his bed through the hangings. Apparently, they had all heard what had happened that morning…Harry could hear them rustling around, occasionally, a whisper or two could be heard. It was an hour or two later when Harry could finally hear the slow steady breathing of all of them. Very quietly, Harry slipped out from the hangings which had hidden him and walked quietly down into the common room.

The fire, which usually roared warm and bright during the day, was now a diminished flame, flickering and casting dark shadows on the walls. Harry shivered and curled up in an armchair closest to the fire. He stared at the fire for a moment then looked away. It just reminded him what had happened. A ray of moonlight fell across the floor. Harry looked up and stared at the night sky outside the window. There were no stars that night. Just a sliver of the pearly white moon. Harry sighed and leaned back against the back of the armchair. 

Suddenly, a throat being cleared softly made Harry jump about a foot off the chair. Harry whipped around and saw Hermione sitting in another armchair. It seemed she had been there all along, but Harry hadn't seen her. Not in the mood to talk much, Harry turned and started to go back to the dorm. Hermione's voice stopped him mid-turn.

"Harry…" she said hesitantly, "Do you want to tell me about it…I think talking might help, even though you think it won't." Harry turned back to look at her. She had a earnest look on her face. Harry supposed it was better than brooding in the darkness by himself for another hour or two. Hermione, sensing his reluctance said hastily,

"Er, you don't have to, it was just a suggestion." But then it was as if everything Harry had been holding back, the feelings, his frustration, his deep sadness…everything came pouring out. Before he knew it he explaining everything to her, from how hopeful he had been to how his parents died. Hermione sat there, looking at him intently the whole time. 

As Harry finished speaking, his voice coming out monotonous and hoarse by now, he realized that he did indeed feel better. Hermione hadn't said a thing yet, but it still felt at least a little bit better just to let it all come out. There was a moment's silence, when Hermione looked stunned.

"Oh, Harry," she said softly, "I'm so sorry. The moment you walked through the door, I knew what had happened, but I didn't imagine it would be so…" she trailed off, and her cheeks colored slightly. It seemed she thought she'd said too much. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Hermione gave a yelp. 

"Oh, really," she exclaimed, "It's well past midnight. We should both get some sleep. Classes again tomorrow." Harry gave a halfhearted groan and made to go back up the stairs. Hermione had just turned around when Harry called softly to her.

"Thanks Hermione. It really did help." She smiled back at him, and with a small wave, walked back up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. Harry, feeling as if a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders, climbed the staircase with some renewed hope. He really was lucky to have such good friends. He drifted off to sleep quickly, before he had a chance to depress himself again over what could have been.

* * * 

"Pass the jam, please."

Automatically, Harry reached for the jam and passed it to Ron. It was a few days later from that fateful night…It was the now morning, and Ron was trying to break the silence at breakfast. 

"So…" he said uncertainly, "Double Potions this afternoon." 

"Yeah, just what I need," Harry muttered under his breath. Ron appeared to be having a argument with himself. He suddenly burst out,

"Harry, Hermione told me what happened." Harry saw Hermione glance uneasily at him out of the corner of her eye. Harry wasn't angry. He was just glad he didn't have to explain the whole ordeal to Ron again. He might lose it in the middle of explaining. 

That morning, after making sure he looked normal, Harry had made his way down to breakfast, and though he tried to appear cheerful, apparently the story had spread. Now, wherever he went, people would either stop and stare and point at him, or give him sympathetic smiles. Although Harry knew people were trying to help, it did exactly the opposite. They smiled as if they knew exactly how they felt. But they didn't. No one did. No one truly understand. Oh sure, they would all try but really, none of them really knew what Harry was feeling. 

Harry ate a small breakfast and followed Hermione and Ron silently to their first class, defense against the dark arts. Harry must have been correct in thinking that the whole school heard, including the teachers, because Mrs. Figg didn't scold Harry when he didn't say anything at all during class, or when he was listlessly attempting to cast the blocking spell they were learning. 

All through the morning, it was like this. Even the stern Professor McGonagall didn't reprimand him when he failed to transfigure his flower. However, Harry could feel the eyes of everyone else boring into him. No one spoke directly to him except for Hermione and Ron. And they only attempted strained conversation at the silences, with too-cheerful looks plastered across their faces. Harry couldn't stand all of this. He would have liked it better if everyone just treated him the same, even if the teachers reprimanded him. 

Fortunately (or was it?) Harry knew Snape wasn't going to treat him differently in the least. This became clear the moment Harry walked into the classroom. So far, even Draco had refrained from saying anything nasty to Harry. He just avoided him like the plague. Snape, on the other hand, had his old smile (which was more of a grimace) stuck on his foul face. The moment Harry had walked into the room and sat down with Hermione and Ron, Snape glided over to him and leaned down to whisper hoarsely into his ear,

"Dumbledore has informed the staff what has happened, and that we were to be especially "sensitive" toward you." he sneered. "And even though the potion most er, _unfortunately, _didn't work, I would just like to make it clear not to expect any special treatment from me. Just because you had a bad day does not mean I am to lower my expectations. Even for _celebrities._" Snape straightened up, that familiar glint of malice in his eye and swished away. Harry sat rigid in his chair, breathing hard with anger, clenching his fists…otherwise, something nasty might come spewing out of his mouth and he might regret it later.

Snape told the class to rearrange their tables into groups in order to concoct the potion. Sitting next to Ron, Harry bashed at his beetles with a vengeance, pretending every beetle was Snape's face. He kept on crushing them until they were a fine powder, and still, he kept mashing and mashing. It was only when Hermione took them gently away from him that he stopped. Harry sat there watching her mix the potion with Ron. Snape came over and looked into the bubbling pink liquid that was their potion.

"Aha. It's the wrong shade of pink. It should be a slightly darker color." He smiled evilly. "Five points from Gryffindor." Harry opened his mouth to protest, he had had it with Snape. However he closed his mouth abruptly when Hermione elbowed him in the side. Snape caught this subtle motion and narrowed his eyes.

"Something to share with the class, Potter?" he sneered. 

"Oh, no, of course not _Professor,"_ Harry said in a sweet voice. Snape stared down at him, eyes locked onto Harry's, for a moment, before he walked away. He heard him walk over to Neville, who was positively shaking with fright. 

"Did I not tell you to add the beetles _after_ you mixed it? Idiot boy, that's another five points you've lost for Gryffindor." Neville gave a small squeak and started to stir his potion. 

Luckily the bell rang just then, signaling the end of classes for the day. Before they left, Snape made them straighten the tables and chairs. Everyone had just turned to leave when Snape's voice rang out above the clamor.

"Everyone back, this instant," he commanded, "These desk aren't straight. No one's leaving until this room looks the way it did before."

"If anything's not straight," Ron said furiously as he shoved the desk across the room, "It's _him._" Harry had to think about it for a minute before he got it. Harry smiled half-heartedly at Ron, who smiled back sheepishly as they walked out of the dungeons, finally. Hermione had a somewhat crooked smile across her face. She seemed caught between scolding Ron or laughing at him. 

For the rest of the day, Harry remained quiet and subdued, despite Ron and Hermione's continuous attempts to cheer him up. He pushed his dinner around on his plate and just sat in an armchair brooding to himself in the evening. He went to bed with that empty feeling inside him still. Harry wondered when everything was going to go back to normal. He wished so much that it would…

* * *

Harry shivered slightly and drew the covers more tightly around him. Curling into a ball, he yanked the covers over his head. The cold still penetrated the blankets to Harry. He opened his eyes slightly and poked his head out from the blankets. His were teeth chattering so loudly, he was surprised the whole castle wasn't waken by them. He put on his robes before he drew open the drapes. Harry's eyes widened when he opened them up and saw the landscape around him. Almost everything was pure white. The Hogwart's grounds were covered in a fine dusting of snow. Harry gaped out the window, jaw hanging slightly open, taking in his surroundings.

He was so busy thinking about…other things that he had forgotten it was already December. Almost Christmas, in fact. The school year was just going by so quickly…Harry sighed into the window, leaving a spot of moisture from his breath. He stared at the grounds. The snow was still falling in big white clusters. The conifers were the only thing that gave a little color to the grounds. Their green branches were waving in the heavy swirling snow, weighted down. 

Everyone once in a while, the wind would stir the braches more heavily, and they would dip down, dropping a light sprinkling of powdery snow. It drifted down, shining in the sunlight overhead. Harry glanced up. There were long icicles hanging from the tallest towers. They captured the light and reflected it back, sparking and winking at Harry. The trees covered with the white snow and the glistening icicles hanging from the towers of Hogwarts made everything appear pure and innocent. Everything was sparkling and shining, and Hogwarts just seemed like a winter wonderland, like a scene from a snow globe. However, this didn't make Harry feel any better. Sighing, he closed the drapes, blocking out the hopeful sunlight, and the twinkling icicles. The room was swathed in darkness as he trudged out of the room. 

As usual, Ron and Hermione were already seated at tables in the Great Hall. Once Harry walked into the room, they plastered those too cheerful, obviously fake grins onto their faces. With a forced smile, Harry sat down across from Hermione. 

"Professor McGonagall is taking down names for the break," Hermione said hesitantly. "Ron and I are going to stay. Hope you don't mind." 

__

This is a change, Harry thought. Usually he was overjoyed when Ron and Hermione stayed during the break. They always had so much fun together. But now, Harry didn't feel particularly happy. In fact, he would have preferred staying by himself. _Well, _he thought, _At least they'll keep me from feeling sorry for myself the _whole _time, instead of just most of the time._ Harry realized Hermione was still waiting for an answer. Harry nodded and settled down to his toast. 

True to her word, Professor McGonagall came around then and started taking down names of people who were staying. Harry, Ron and Hermione were at the top of the very short list. It seemed that people were still mindful of the events at the end of Harry's fourth year. Most of them were too frightened about staying at Hogwarts. Harry, however, knew that Hogwarts was actually a lot safer then wherever their homes may be. 

After breakfast, Harry, and Ron made they way up to Divination, while Hermione went to Arithmancy. For once, Harry was glad that Professor Trelawney kept her room heated year round. It was cold in the hallways, so Harry and Ron made sure to sit at the side of the room, where the heater was going full blast. 

As always, once Professor Trelawney started talking about the crystal balls they were going to start reading again, her heavily perfumed room worked its magic on Harry. He leaned on the small table, and turned his head so that he was facing slightly away from her. He closed his eyes for thought for a moment, _I'll just rest for a second or two…_

~ * ~ * ~

The snow drifted lazily down in small spirals, landing on the sagging roof of a small cottage in the middle of a dense forest. There were thick curtains covering the windows, and there were small weeds poking through the snow. The house looked abandoned, and as if no one had been in there for a while. But, if you walked up to a window, and put your ear up to it, you could hear sounds. And you could feel a slight warmth radiating from it. There was the merry sound of crackling flames in a fireplace, filling the house with warmth. However, the voice that spoke next, killed any of the warmth that could be felt. When the sound of that voice filled the cottage, you felt cold again, like there was a chill penetrating your very bones. The voice was low, and hissing, like a snake.

"Everything is going according to plan. Another few days and I'll have him. I'll get my chance. And this time, I _will not _fail. Everything is planned too intricately already. He's falling for it slowly…every so slowly…each day brings me closer and closer to the boy…he'll never be safe from me! Never!"

There was a high cackling now. It filled the night air, penetrating you even more than that cold voice did. That laugh was pure evil. It filled the air, until it had you shrink away in fear, ready to run for your life. And it was just a laugh. The laugh continued, and as it got louder and louder, you got more and more frightened. Suddenly, the cottage was bathed in green light. It flooded the forest, until it was blinding. It got brighter and brighter as the cackling laugh slowly faded away. Suddenly, as quickly as it had come, it disappeared. Leaving you once again, standing in the middle of a dense forest, alone and staring at a small cottage. Only this time. There were no warm flames coming from it. Just a vast coldness. No one was inside….it seemed like no one had been either…

~ * ~ * ~


	10. Lily's Letter

With a start, Harry lifted his head off his arms. There had been that green flash of light again! Where had it come from? It was in his dream...Harry was sure that the cold, cackling laugh had been Voldemort…But once again, his scar wasn't hurting…did that mean it was only a dream…that it hadn't really happened? But Voldemort was talking about getting closer to someone…him! Shakily, Harry tried to recall the details…

The little shack had to have been somewhere nearby, because it had been snowing also…but Voldemort had left…in the green flash of light…Somehow, the thought didn't reassure Harry much. He knew he should go tell Professor Dumbledore…but he didn't want to. Dumbledore would probably start talking about the potion, and…Harry just didn't want to deal with that now. _I'll tell Dumbledore about it if I dream about it again…_that was what he would do. He knew deep down he should be telling Dumblefore right away, but just ignored that voice in his head. Harry was so caught up in his thoughts he didn't hear Professor Trelawney asking him a question. Now, however, her voice broke through the din in Harry's head.

"Did you hear me, dear?" 

"Um, yeah. Yeah, I did."

"Would you kindly answer the question then, Mr. Potter?" She said with a touch of irritation.

Harry glanced at Ron, who was mouthing the word "Saturn".

"Er….that would be Saturn," Harry said uncertainly.

Professor Trelawney had a somewhat disappointed look on her face, and started talking about the planets and the solar system again. Harry tuned back out. 

Voldemort couldn't hurt him as long as he was within the walls of Hogwarts, Harry was confident of that. And he wouldn't really be leaving Hogwarts until summer…_There's no need to tell Dumbledore,_ Harry told himself. He knew he was rationalizing, but he really didn't want everyone to make a big fuss out of it. Suddenly, Professor Trelawney was swooping down on Harry again.

"_Dear, _you please tell me what I was just discussing with the class?" Frantically, Harry looked at Ron out of the corner of his eye. He was mouthing "Mercury". Harry said this to Professor Trelawney, then returned to his thoughts. Just then, the bell rang. Harry gathered up his books and walked out with Ron.

"You can tell me now," Ron said expectantly.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Why you were so preoccupied in Divination?"

"Oh, that. Just a little nightmare while sleeping, as usual."

Ron's eyes suddenly widened.

"It wasn't about You-Know-Who, was it?" he asked, shooting glances around the hallway as if Voldemort was going to jump out and attack.

"It was," Harry muttered quietly, "but nothing to worry about."

"The green flash again?" Ron said nervously, "You really ought to tell Dumbledore, he might just--" Harry, now thoroughly sick of talking about this butted in.

"Dear, dear," He said smugly, "I always knew the day would come."

"What day?" Ron said suspiciously.

"The day you followed in your dear brother Percy's footsteps. You're starting to sound more and more like him everyday. Hermione too."

Ron gave Harry a look of utmost outrage.

"I am not acting like Percy! Or Hermione, for that matter, I just don't want you to--"

"I'm fine," Harry reassured, "Calm yourself,"

Still slightly pink in the face from Harry's little comment, Ron sat himself down in defense against the dark arts with an indignant mutter or two. 

"Hermione! I mean really! And Percy! I suppose you think I'm going to made Prefect as well…well, the day I make Prefect will be the day pigs fly with…"

Harry smiled to himself, for the first time in days.

He glanced at Hermione who had sat down next to him. She smiled at him mischievously. She had a pretty smile. Harry had never really noticed it before. He could feel himself blushing. 

Turning, he looked at the front of the room and looked at Mrs. Figg, who was now writing something on the chalkboard. Suddenly, she turned around and faced the class, lips pursed. The chatter quieted. Harry stared woodenly ahead, not quite noticing anything. Her gaze came to rest on Harry, but he didn't even notice. He just stared out the window at the still falling snow. 

For the duration of the class, Harry just kept staring out the window, with Mrs. Figg repeatedly glancing at him. When the bell rang, the classroom turned into bedlam. Everyone rushed out the door to leave, as this was the last day before Christmas break. Harry packed his things slowly, and followed Ron and Hermione down the corridor. 

"I…" Harry said hesitantly, "I'm just going to go down to the library for a bit." He turned and walked quickly out of the room. Ron and Hermione glanced at each other. Ron shrugged and raised an eyebrow at Hermione. 

"We may as well go also," he said, "After all, no better place to go then…" he grimaced, forcing the word out, "the library." Hermione rolled her eyes and stalked out of the room.

It seemed that much of the school had left already for the break, and there were only a handful of people remained. Ron spotted Fred and George as he entered with Hermione. Quickly, they sat down at their table and started talking. A few minutes later, Hermione gave Ron a sharp poke in the ribs.

"OW, Hermione, what do you think you're--" 

Hermione nudged him in the direction of a large window halfway hidden behind a bookshelf. Ron followed her eyes and saw a small patch of black hair sticking out from behind a book case. He had almost forgotten about Harry being here also. Ron nodded at Hermione. 

"Fred, George," he announced, "Be back in a minute." Cautiously, he made his way over to the window. 

Harry was sitting in front of it, knees drawn up to his chest, staring blankly at the snow that was still falling steadily. Ron approached him quietly, standing in back of him. 

"Harry…" he said quietly, "Would you like to do something?" 

No answer

"We could play a game of wizard chess…" 

"No, thanks."

"We could visit Hagrid…?"

"In this weather?"

"Oh. Right. Well then…we could get a jump start on our homework!" Harry gave a small smile and turned around the face Ron. 

"Thanks, Ron. I appreciate it and all, but I'd just like to be alone for a bit, if that's all right."

Ron nodded mutely.

Harry closed his eyes briefly. When he opened them, Ron had left. Harry sighed. When would it stop hurting? He truly had believed with all his heart that his parents would come back. He had envisioned all the things he would show them, all the things they could do together…he had believed he would really have parents again. No more lonely days, no more Dursleys…Harry sighed. He should've known it wouldn't have happened. Should've known there was no hope. He turned around and saw that Ron and Hermione were still there. 

They were laughing as he glanced at them. How he wished to be like that. Carefree, without a trouble in the world. Or at least having parents. Harry looked away and got down slowly from his perch in front of the window. He crept quietly out of the library without anyone noticing. 

Once he was in the corridor, things were silent, almost eerily quiet. Harry walked slowly along the floor, in no hurry to get anywhere. He trudged along, head down, staring at his feet. 

Suddenly, he bumped into something quite solid. Stifling a yell, he quickly glanced up. He let out his breath. It was just Mrs. Figg. 

"Do watch where you're going, Harry," she said sternly. Then her face softened. 

"Anyway, good to have run into you like that, I was looking for you. Oh, nothing bad," she said hastily, seeing the look on Harry's face. She continued slowly, almost hesitantly.

"I…I wanted to give you this."

She put her hand to the inside pocket of her robe and drew out a small envelope. Harry stared at it. It seemed rather old, it was yellow with age, and had several spots and stains on it. On the front, was writing in an emerald green ink. Harry's confusion mounted. It looked a bit like his first letter from Hogwarts. Wait a minute…had he been expelled for some reason? Was that a letter kicking him out? Harry looked wildly from the envelope to Mrs. Figg, waiting for an explanation. Then he saw her hand was shaking

Harry felt even more nervous now, but somehow he knew that it wasn't a letter of expulsion. He was sure, for some strange reason, that it wasn't even from Hogwarts. Mrs. Figg cleared her throat, clutching at the letter. Harry saw a tear slide down her wrinkled cheek. She started to say something, shook her head and wordlessly, gently placed the envelope in Harry's hand. 

With a growing feeling of dread, Harry turned it over to look at the writing on the envelope. In the center of the envelope, someone had written his name. His gaze traveled up to the upper left corner. His breath caught in his throat and his hands started to shake as he saw the name scrawled there. 

__

*

****

Lily Potter 

*

Harry looked up at Mrs. Figg. She had tears rolling steadily down her cheeks now, though she made no effort to wipe them away. She cleared her throat again. Her eyes grew faraway as if she were reliving a memory. She started speaking in a flat tone of voice.

"Years ago, I was friends with Lily, your mother. Although she was much younger than I, we were friends through Dumbledore. The night before your parents went into hiding…the night before she and your father were…killed, she gave me this envelope. She told me urgently to give it to you when you were in your seventh year at Hogwarts. I agreed, thinking nothing of it. I never thought I wouldn't ever see her again. I think that somehow, however, _she_ knew what was going to happen. She knew she would never watch you grow up, Harry. As you know, I was stationed by order from Dumbledore to watch over you at Privet Drive. I have kept the letter safe ever since. I have been debating with myself at giving it to you early. But after the events with…with the potion, I couldn't stand seeing you suffer the way you have been. I thought that maybe this letter may give you some comfort. I do not know what Lily has written in it, but you will at least have something from your mother." She broke off, weeping silently. 

Harry's heart constricted as he looked down at the old envelope in his hands. Clutching it tightly, he said quietly,

"Thank you, Mrs. Figg. You don't know how much this means to me. Sometimes I just miss them-" He stopped talking abruptly, feeling embarrassed. 

"Dear boy…" Mrs. Figg whispered, breaking the awkward silence, "you have been through so much. I just hope that letter contains good news for you." She took out a handkerchief and blew her nose which made a noise like several dying moose. Then, turning on her heel, she walked quickly away.

Harry turned and started walking back to the Gryffindor common room, where he could be alone. Opening the letter was something he wanted to do by himself, without Hermione or Ron, though he wasn't sure why.

Once he got to his dormitory, Harry drew the hangings tightly around his bed and stared at the letter, almost afraid to open it. For some reason, he had a feeling that once he read what his mother had written, his life would never be the same…

Taking a deep breath, Harry carefully unsealed the envelope, being especially careful not the rip anything. He caught sight of a yellowing piece of paper folded inside. He slid it out carefully. As he did, he caught a whiff of something. It smelled like some kind of flower…like…a lily…Harry smiled slightly. 

With trembling hands, he opened the letter and started to read.

__

*

My Dearest Harry,

If you are reading these words, it means that I am no longer with you. Oh how I wish it didn't have to be this way. I wish I could watch you grow into the handsome young man I know you will become. I wish your father and I didn't have to go into hiding. I wish for so many impossible things, knowing they will never come true. It seems silly to say this, but I miss you already, my precious little Harry. Although as I write this, you are sleeping peacefully in your crib, I fear the worst for us. By now, you will have known about Voldemort. I do hope you aren't afraid to call him that. As Dumbledore always used to say, fear of a name increases fear of the being itself. 

Anyway, you are probably full of questions by now, and if things happen the way I think they will, the answers to those questions will not be very clear. I'm not sure if revealing the truth to you is the best thing to do, but I know it will be the right thing to do. The moment I married James I knew he and I would be in grave danger for the rest of our lives. This didn't matter to me, because I loved your father very much, and I know he loved me too. However, this risk became more and more dangerous as I had you, and I do not want to endanger you in any way. It became clear that all our lives were in jeopardy the moment you were born. I am about to put a terrible burden on you, but Harry, I put my faith in my heart, because I feel it will be the right thing to do, telling you. 

Harry…you alone are the sole heir of Godric Gryffindor.

__

Your father was before you, and because Voldemort is the sole heir of Salazar Slytherin, he has always hated James, and wanted him killed. However, as_ he gains power now, it is clear that his venomous hatred will be the end of us all. I know that soon, most likely within the next few days, he will try to murder James because you, Harry, are also a descendant of Godric Gryffindor, he will turn his hate on you too. You, who are only an infant, and have done nothing wrong. But I know you will go on no matter what. I'm not sure if you know this, Harry, but I am an avid crystal gazer. I have seen that you out of James and I, _you will be the boy who lived_. You will go on. Harry, because you are the sole heir of Gryffindor, you are the only one who can destroy the sole heir of Slytherin. The only way to do this is to _make Voldemort mortal._ I know of one device that will do this. It is called the Orb of Shadows. This orb will take all the magic power out of a wizard or witch, leaving them mortal, able to be slain. Harry, you must find this orb and use it to put an end to Voldemort, once and for all. It is a terrible burden to put on anyone, but you are the only one who can do it. Harry, I put my hope in you. Remember that no one is truly dead until they have been forgotten. Your father and I love you will all of our hearts Harry. Always and forever. Do not ever forget that. Even though we cannot be with you in person, we will always be there in spirit, watching over you. My dear Harry, I love you so much._

Your mother,

Lily Potter

Harry closed his eyes, briefly. His whole body was shaking, as if he had suddenly gotten cold. His heart was beating faster than usual. As he drew in a shaky breath, he looked at the paper he held in his shaking hands and saw yellowed tear stains from long ago, dotted here and there, which had smeared the ink. No doubt they were from his mother… His mother….Harry folded up the letter and placed it carefully in the envelope, placing it under his pillow, just staring at it for a second. 

That was when he did what he had needed to do for a long time. Harry flung himself facedown on the bed and just cried. Now he just didn't care whether tears were coming or not. It felt like his heart was ripping in half. Harry had experienced pain before. It was unavoidable if you went to Hogwarts and always seemed to attract a lot of trouble…but the pain he felt now was nothing like he had ever felt. The pain came from inside, from his heart… And he just didn't know how to make it stop.


	11. The Orb of Shadows

"Harry you look terrible! What's happened?" 

Harry bolted upright and then instantaneously closed his eyes again. There was bright sunlight streaming through the window, and it made his head pound. Through squinted eyes, he saw Hermione standing there, dressed in a fluffy pink robe. Harry opened his eyes a bit more and glanced out the window. Contrary to his current state, the sky was a vivid blue, and there wasn't a cloud in sight. The sun seemed to smile merrily down at the world, and far in the distance Harry could see the hoops of the Quidditch field glinting from the sunlight. It seemed to be an unusually warm day for December.

"Wha-What…" Harry stammered, "Hermione! You're not supposed to be here!"

"Yes, and good morning to you too," she responded briskly, "I was worried about you. You didn't go down to dinner last night, or breakfast this morning." 

Harry squeezed his eyes shut, as the previous day's memories poured into his head…he supposed he had fallen asleep afterward. Then he remembered the letter, and dove back under the covers and gripped them covers tightly, as if they were causing him all his sorrow.

He felt a slight movement in the bed as Hermione came over and sat timidly on the corner. She looked slightly nervous.

"Harry, I don't know what happened, and I'll understand if you don't want to tell me, but I'm sure it will make you feel better to tell _someone_." 

Wordlessly, Harry took out the letter and handed it to Hermione. Her brown eyes widened as she saw the name scrawled across it. Harry didn't want to watch. He lay back down on the bed, and turned so that his back was facing her. Twice, he heard her give small gasps. He buried himself deeper into the blankets, closing his eyes tightly, as if that would erase all memory of everything that had happened. 

Slowly, he felt the blanket being lifted from him. Harry chanced a glance at Hermione. She was sitting there, tears pooled in her eyes, looking down at Harry with an expression of utmost empathy. 

"Oh Harry," she whimpered. The tears that had been threatening to spill over finally cascaded down her cheeks. Wordlessly, she suddenly flung herself at him, wrapping him tightly up in her arms. 

Suddenly, there was the noise of a door slamming. They broke apart to see Ron standing there, framed in the doorway. His face was slightly red, and Harry suddenly felt very awkward. 

"Oh…Sorry 'bout that," he said rather stiffly. Then, 

"Hermione what are you doing here…" Ron said uncertainly. Hermione beckoned him over. He sat down on his own bed, as Hermione scurried to stand up. Harry handed him the letter. He watched as Ron's eyes also widened in shock, and he glanced warily at the letter as he unfolded it. Harry stared woodenly at the door. 

Slowly, the sadness was fading slightly, and the content of the letter was starting to sink in…he was the heir of Gryffindor! And he, himself…was supposed to find an "Orb of Shadows" and …_turn Voldemort mortal??_ It was all too much. Suddenly, he was aware that he was sitting there on the bed, hands over his ears, as if he didn't want to hear what he was telling himself. Hermione and Ron were talking quietly to each other, and jumped when Harry spoke. 

"So," he said weakly, "I'm supposed to find this 'Orb of Shadows', eh? Reckon I should start looking up stuff about it in the library?" It wasn't even remotely funny, but Ron started the giggle obnoxiously, with Hermione shooting daggers at him with her eyes, all the while snorting slightly, trying to stop laughing. Despite himself, Harry started to smile, then to laugh. It felt wonderful to laugh again with his best friends.

Amid knowing that he was also the sole heir of Godric Gryffindor, knowing that he had to find the legendary 'Orb of Shadows', use it on Voldemort, which would must likely mean he had to confront him again, knowing that this time, the encounter might kill him, as it almost did last time…they got the giggles. 

* * *

They all laughed idiotically for a minute. Hermione was first to get some sense back. She cleared her throat briskly, and Harry and Ron stopped mid-giggle. Their smiles slowly faded off their faces. Hermione spoke first.

"I suppose we _should_ research this a bit in the library." Harry nodded, and climbed off his bed, feeling more light-hearted than he would have thought possible a day ago. They trooped off to the library, as they had done many times before. When they got there, they each headed off to different corners of the library to find some books. 

Harry returned to their table with _Magical Objects and How to Use Them_, _Dark Objects and Their Powers_ and _When Bad Things Turn Good._

Harry felt almost positive he would find _something_ in one of those books. Some of books Hermione and Ron got looked promising too. 

***

"Nothing!" Harry exclaimed an hour later. "We must've been through 10 dozen books, and none of them, not one, mentioned a single work about the Orb of Shadows!"

"Don't worry," Hermione said soothingly, "We're sure to find something sooner or later."

"Apparently later, rather than sooner," Ron muttered, just a frustrated as Harry. 

"I give up," Harry declared. He stood up and started to gather the huge piles of books surrounding him. He put them back, somewhat disappointed they hadn't been able to find anything. 

Suddenly Ron jumped a foot in the air, he looked like he had just sat down on a porcupine. Harry and Hermione stared at him. 

"Harry!" He roared, "I've almost forgotten! Wood said to tell you that the match for the QQ was postponed from last week to…tomorrow!"

"WHAT?" Harry gasped, "And Wood didn't call a practice? I've hardly been on a broomstick for 2 weeks!"

"Don't blame me," Ron said, "I guess he didn't schedule any practices since-" he fell silent. 

"Oh. Yeah." Harry said, remembering. "Well…I should probably, er, get down to the Quidditch field…or something"

He turned and sprinted down to the field, hoping against hope that someone would be there. He was in luck. As he rounded the corner, he smacked into Wood, who was looking frantic.

"Harry!" he bellowed, "What's been keeping you? We have a match TOMORROW! Against a team we don't even know! From Canada somewhere…do you know how much they must have trained?? And we haven't even started training! Where's everyone else? Ron? Fred? George? Angelina? Alicia???" He was pacing by now, and turning slightly green. 

"All right!" Harry said, alarmed, "I'll go get them, be right back…" He trailed off, wanting to tell Wood not to explode until he got back. He ran back to the Gryffindor common room, where, fortunately, the rest of the team was gathered.

"Wood-practice-Quidditch-now!" He panted. They seemed to catch the gist of it. Hurriedly, they all grabbed their brooms and trooped outside, back to the field, where Wood was still pacing. His coloring had returned to slightly pink…an improvement, Harry supposed. 

"Now everyone, this is going to be one of the most important matches in your--_my_ life. If we win this one, we're in the finals for the Quidditch Quest." He gulped, suddenly looking teary eyed. "Can you imagine what it would be like if we won that trophy?" His eyes glazed over. Harry cleared his throat. Wood started. "Oh. Right. Anyway, tomorrow we're playing some school in Canada…er….I forget the name." he said sheepishly. "But anyway, I understand they have very good Beaters, and they'll try their hardest to unseat all of you, most likely…" the team exchanged nervous glances. 

"But enough talk," he barked abruptly. "Practice time, all of you. Come on now, we need every second." 

Personally, Harry didn't mind enthusiasm. He enjoyed Quidditch and it kept his mind off his parents. For the rest of practice, Harry worked as hard as he could, as he wanted to win the match very match. The rest of the team also seemed to share his sentiments, as they had one of their best practices. Ron hardly missed a single Quaffle, and Harry himself found the Snitch every time in less then five minutes. By the time the sun had set, Harry was exhausted, not to mention famished. Wood, however, was ecstatic. 

"Brilliant!" He exclaimed to them all, "Just play exactly like that tomorrow, and we should have no trouble!"

Harry walked off with Ron, feeling satisfied and confident. 

"Reckon we can win tomorrow?" Ron asked as they trudged through the growing darkness toward the castle. 

"I hope so," Harry replied earnestly, "As long as we play like that, I suppose. Anyway, we better win…I have a feeling if we lose Wood will have some kind of a heart attack and spontaneously combust or something of that sort."

Ron laughed as they entered the Great Hall. There were the usual candles floating around overhead, but just a handful of students at the tables. Hermione was among them, head buried in a book. 

Harry exchanged a mischievous grin with Ron. He crept quietly behind her. Suddenly, he from behind and yelled "Boo!"

Hermione shrieked and threw the book into the air, which landed with a crash on the ground. Ron was doubled over with laughter, while Harry just grinned sheepishly. Hermione was bright red, and dusted herself off imperiously.

"Now look what you did!" she berated, "I've lost my place!" Harry bent over and picked up the heavy volume.

"Legendary Magical Objects," he read aloud. Then it struck him…all this time she had been looking for the Orb of Shadows. But he didn't want to be reminded now…already, he could feel his happy mood draining away. He chose to ignore the interruption.

"Gryffindor has a big match tomorrow," he said, to cover the awkward silence, "So I'm going to bed now." He walked out and into the dormitory. 

As he lay in his bed, the moonlight streaming through the window, he heard Ron enter the room. 

"Harry?" He whispered into the darkness. "Are you asleep?"

"Nope." Harry replied. 

"Oh. Nervous about tomorrow?"

"A little bit."

"Yeah, me too. Well…sorry about that earlier…"

"Don't worry about it."

"All right…well good luck with the Snitch tomorrow."

"You too."

Harry soon heard Ron's snores fill the air. He, however, tossed and turned long after Ron fell asleep. Long after the crickets quieted, the birds stopped chirping. Long after the sky grew dark and a large moon spread a dim light across the sky, after the stars shone, Harry lay awake, thinking about that cursed Orb of Shadows…his mother and father…the upcoming Quidditch match. Maybe if he hadn't been so preoccupied he would have noticed the absence of Ron's snores around midnight…would've heard the door creak open and the footsteps quietly making their way down.


	12. The QQ Semifinals

The Snitch! It fluttered its tiny golden wings, dancing above Harry's head, just out of reach. Harry made frantic grabs each time, but never caught it.

"Harry!" a voice said, "Harry!"

Harry opened his eyes to see Ron's face swimming into view over him. He groaned and turned over.

"Harry," Ron said urgently, "The Quidditch game is today, you should be up now!" That got Harry awake. He put on his glasses, and then bolted out of bed and looked out the window.

It was hardly the perfect day for a Quidditch game. The sky was dull and overcast. The trees near his window were bending from the strong wind. Harry sighed. He knew Quidditch wouldn't be called off for a little wind. At least, he supposed, it wasn't a thunderstorm. 

When Harry walked into the Great Hall with Ron for breakfast, he saw that almost no one there. He wasn't really surprised. It was still early. Such was the popularity of Quidditch, however, that the whole school would probably end up getting up early anyway. As he pushed his oatmeal around his bowl he felt the familiar beginnings of nervousness welling up. He and Ron just sat there silently, pushing their food around their plates. Finally Ron stood up.

"I suppose we should get going," Ron said, his voice coming out strangely high. Harry nodded and grabbing their broomsticks, headed outside. The moment Harry stepped out onto the sweeping lawn, a gust of wind blew. He was knocked sideways into Ron. 

"Sorry--" Harry gasped, "Sorry about that."

"it's all right," Ron panted, holding his ribs. Staggering sideways against the fierce wind, they made their way to the Quidditch field, where the rest of the team was already huddled. 

Wood was pacing up and down the field while the everyone else sat, curled up in little balls. Ron and Harry took a seat.

"All right," Wood said, looking a bit pale. "You know how important this game is. If we win this one, we advance into the _finals._" His eyes glazed over., and he sat there, staring off into the distance, as though imagining winning the Quidditch Quest until Fred Weasley prodded him in the side with the handle of his broomstick. 

"Oh, right," Wood said, "Anyway, we _have got to win._ As long as you all try your best, I think we should have no problem. The only thing we have to watch out for is their Bludgers, they have excellent Beaters" he shot a glance at Fred and George, who were looking thoroughly bored. "And," he continued, "The wind. Just be careful on not being blown off course." He gulped. "Well, I reckon the other team should be here any minute now." 

Right as he finished talking, Madam Hooch, who was going to referee the match, approached them. "Ready to play?" she questioned. Wood, with a fiercely determined look on his face, nodded. The team trooped on to the field and took their positions. Lee Jordan was commentation again. "And here's the Hogwarts team!" he was saying, "Weasley, Weasley, Weasley, Johnson, Bell, Spinnet, and Potter!" There was a thunderous wave of screams and cheers. Surprised, his saw that the stadium had filled up in the time Wood was giving them his little pep talk. Harry mounted his broomstick, almost being knocked off by another fierce gust of wind. He saw the other team walk out onto the field. "And here is the opposing team!" Lee was shouting, "Harmon, Davis, Harrington, Smith, Westly, Marlin and Turner!" There was a mixed reaction from the spectators. Some of the other team must have arrived with their own fans because there were some cheers--but mostly they were drowned out by boos from Hogwarts supporters. As they took their positions, Madam Hooch walked out onto the field. 

"Now," she barked, "I expect a fair game from both of you. Good luck. On my whistle now. 3...2...1..." she blew her whistle, and the balls were released. 

"And they're off! It's the Gryffindor team representing Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, against the Canadian Dopplebeaters representing Prout Academy of Magic."

As Harry soared up, his nerves evaporated. He loved this feeling…the air whipping at his hair--a little more than usual this time, with the wind and all, the feeling of being so high, and seeing everything. 

Right away, he pulled up from the game and scanned the stadium, looking for that telltale glint of gold, a flutter of wings. Suddenly, a Bludger shot toward. He swerved, barely avoiding. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw another Bludger to his right. Pulling his broomstick up a bit, he just barely avoided it. Wood has been right…the team's Beaters _were_ very good. 

"Oh, and the Dopplebeaters' Bludgers nearly hit the Hogwarts seeker now. It's Hogwarts in possession, Katie Bell approaching the scoring area. She aims and--oh, that was close. Quaffle intercepted by Harrington, and now it's Prout in possession. Harrington passes to Smith. He's going for the points. He throws…ohhhhh, and it's through! 10 points to Prout."

Harry looked at Ron, who made a face. Harry smiled sympathetically, and circled the game, searching for the Snitch. He saw the other team's seeker doing the same. Harry continued listening to Lee's commentary. 

"And it's Smith with the Quaffle! He's approaching the scoring area…he aims…throws…and it's in! Another 10 points to Prout!"

Harry groaned loudly as a heavy gust of wind nearly blew him off his broom. Fiercely determined, he directed his broom back in position and scanned the skies again, searching for the snitch. While he had been doing that, Prout had scored another 30 points, bringing the score 50-0, in favor, of course, of Prout. Harry was starting to feel the beginning of a slight panic. He opened his eyes wide in the wind, gripping his broom as tightly as he could. 

"And Prout scores another 20 points," Lee Jordan was saying dejectedly. "…bringing to score to 70-0." Fred and George were pelting Bludgers everywhere now, evidently not caring if their bats made contact with Bludger or human. Even the heavy Bludgers seemed to be having trouble with the wind. They swerved wildly, skidding out of control at times. Harry felt his spirits sinking lower and lower. Then --"And Gryffindor scores! The score is now 100-10!"

Harry gasped out loud. 100 points?? If they scored 50 more, then they would win no matter what! Harry turned in the wind and found himself facing another fierce gust of wind. 

Suddenly something small and hard blew into his cheek. "Ow!" Harry said angrily, putting his hand to the spot. He felt something small and round. Hardly daring to believe it, he cupped his hand in front of him…he had the Snitch! Harry wanted to laugh. The Snitch had blown into him! He heard Madame Hooch's whistle, and then six scarlet blurs were shooting toward him. The Gryffindor team was yelling themselves hoarse, sinking to the ground, tangled in a big knot. Harry was grinning so hard his cheeks hurt, and he raised the Snitch above his head to the shrieking crowd above…

All in all, it was pretty good day…Harry now felt light as a feather his troubles cast off to the side. It was growing dark when Harry and Ron walked back onto the Quidditch field to retrieve their broomsticks. They were chattering excitedly, walking in the shadow of Hogwarts' enormous shadow. 

Suddenly, Ron put up a hand. "Did you hear that?" he said. Harry stopped talking and listened. He thought he heard a slight rustle of a cloak…Without warning, a brilliant green jet of light sliced through the cheerful atmosphere. Harry stumbled backwards and fell, throwing an arm up against the blinding light. His eyes closed, and the light grew dimmer, as the now-familiar cackling, high and eerie, floated through the silent strains of the grounds.


	13. Spellfinders

A fire…a red fire…glowing in the darkness. As the fire came into focus, he saw that it was actually Ron Weasley's hair. He was so pale he looked like an onion with a wig. 

"Harry??" He was saying frantically. "Harry??"

"Errghh…" Harry groaned and rolled over. He noticed he was lying on grass. Grass wet with dew. Then he noticed that it was dark. "What happened??" he asked, sitting up and rubbing his head. "There was that light again" he continued, "and that laugh!" Harry felt a shiver run down his spine. 

Ron was still ghostly pale. "I reckon you should tell Dumbledore this time, Harry, this is really starting to scare me!"

It was scaring Harry too, but he didn't want to admit it.

"NO!" Harry said fiercely, "This is the worst time to tell him! Don't you see? If I tell him now--"

"You just may be able to live long enough to see the end of our fifth year!" Ron said angrily. "Look, I know you don't want to admit you're scared but I know you are! You need to tell Dumbledore!"

Harry looked at the concern on Ron's face and reluctantly nodded. 

"Good," Ron said with relief. "Go tell him now, I'll bring your broomstick back."

Harry nodded again and started to head inside. He had just reached the stone gargoyle in front of Dumbledore's office when Dumbledore himself rounded the corner.

"Why hello, Harry," Dumbledore said, "Fancy meeting you here. But," he added, eyes twinkling, "For someone who should be celebrating their win against Prout Academy, you seem unusually troubled."

Harry looked at him. "I think…I.." he said hesitantly, "I need to talk to you about…something…in your office."

"Certainly, right this way." 

He said the password, and they entered. Once they were comfortable, Dumbledore settled his gaze on Harry. He cleared his throat. He was about to tell him about the green flashes of light, but then a more pressing thought came to mind. The Orb of Shadows…that was more important anyway, Harry thought. He found himself telling Dumbledore about the letter and its requests. Dumbledore didn't say anything during the time Harry was talking. When Harry quieted, he looked nervously at Dumbledore, who looked thoughtfully curious. 

"Harry," He said, almost hesitantly, "do you know what a Spellfinder is?"

Harry looked at him stupidly.

"Oh, silly me, I forgot, Professor Flitwick was to teach you about them next week. Then I'll give you short preview, Harry. 

A Spellfinder is very rare. It's a pair of people, usually a man and woman. They possess extraordinary gift, and when they put their hands together on the same wand, they create unique spells, spells never before heard of. One special trait of Spellfinders is that one day, they will create an Orb. Each Orb serves a different purpose, and is very powerful. There will be six Orbs totally, and six Orbs only. Five Orbs have already been created. The Orb of the Sun, the Orb of the Moon, the Orb of the Sea, and the Orb of the Sky. The most recent one created was the Orb of Light. The last one to be created is to be the Orb of Shadows."

Harry's eyes opened wide as Dumbledore continued.

"Because Spellfinders are so rare, These Orbs have taken a long time to create as Spellfinders are found. No one is sure whether or not the last Orb has been created." Dumblefore fixed his light-blue gaze on Harry.

"However, from when your parents were at school, I have reason to believe that they were the last pair of Spellfinders, and they may have been the ones who created the Orb of Shadows."

Harry felt stunned. 

"If this is true," Dumbledore said, "Then no one knows where the Orb of Shadows is today. I do not believe Lily or James told anyone, but I do believe they already created it. The most reasonable place they would have kept it…"

Harry nodded, understanding. 

"Your parents certainly took advantage of being Spellfinders," Dumbledore said with the twinkle back in his eye, "They often played the most unusual pranks. I believe one of their best ones involved Professor Snape and a tight tutu."

Harry started laughing in the tense atmosphere, seeing the picture in his mind very clearly. Dumbledore waited for him to calm down, then said seriously,

"You know what you must do, Harry. Just make sure to get Hagrid to go with you. For …protection. But you know where you must go. Good luck," he said solemnly.

Harry thanked him and left, forgetting his original purpose for going to see him. But he knew what he must do. Although it was past midnight already, he went to Gryffindor tower and got his invisibility cloak. Slipping it over himself, he headed outside. When he arrived at Hagrid's hut, he knocked three times. Hagrid peered out, a sleeping cap on his head.

"Who is it?" he growled, looking around suspiciously.

"Hagrid, it's me, Harry," he said, pulling off the cloak. Hagrid relaxed. "What are you doing here at this time, Harry??"

"Hagrid," Harry said, 

"I need to go to Godric's Hollow."

A/N: To find out more about Lily and James as Spellfinders and the pranks that they play, go to **Emily Woodmark**'s story called **Spellfinders**.


	14. Godric's Hollow

"I need to go to Godric's Hollow," Harry repeated.

Hagrid paled, and stared at Harry intently.

"Is something' wrong?" He said, looking at him. Harry shook his head. He didn't really feel like going into it with Hagrid.

"All righ'," Hagrid said, realizing he probably shouldn't push it. "I'll take yeh." He gave Harry a shifty look. "Dumbledore did say yeh could, didn' he?"

Harry nodded and Hagrid looked at him a minute, then continued to look around his hut. When he spotted his flowered pink umbrella, he took hold of it and held it out in front of him. A loud BANG vibrated around the small house, and Harry was knocked off his feet. Getting up and rubbing his bottom, Harry walked to a window. There was sleek black bus outside, parked right on the Hogwarts grounds. 

"Tha'" said Hagrid, gesticulating grandly toward the bus, "Is the temporary replacem't for the Knigh' Bus."

Harry got on. The bus driver, who Harry remembered used to be Ernie Prang, was now a tall, stout woman who looked rather like a lumberjack. She smiled politely at Harry, revealing several missing teeth. Harry, feeling rather scared, smiled nervously back. He chose a seat in the bus near the back. This bus was like nothing Harry had ever seen. The seats were plush, and lined with soft purple velvet. There was a small table in front of each one, and it felt more like sitting in a grand living room then a bus. Hagrid sat down across from Harry, sinking into the seat with a loud creak.

"Better than the ol' Knigh' Bus, Isn' it?" Harry had to agree. The bus driver seemed to be much more experienced, and didn't screech and use the brakes quite as often as old Ernie Prang had. Harry soon found himself enjoying the ride. 

"So you've gotten on the finding' that Orb of Shadows, eh?" said Hagrid quietly.

"How--How did you know?" Harry spluttered.

"I knew 'bout it. Awful, it is to have to do summat like tha'. An' why else would you be goin' to Godric's Hollow?"

"Was it really that awful, Hagrid?"

"Aye, it was. Most of the house was destroyed, but I've heard they rebuilt par' of it. I think that it's one room tha's the same as before, the living room."

Harry shivered. This was the house his parents lived in. Where he had lived. It seemed like seconds later that the driver yelled out "Godric's Hollow!" Hagrid took Harry by the elbow and guided him out. "I'll stay here," Hagrid said gruffly, when they reached the end of a street. "I reckon you'll wan' to be alone."

Gratefully, Harry thanked him. 

"The house is jus' down that way and around the corner." He pointed down the empty street. Looking down that way, Harry slowly crossed the street. As he turned the corner, he saw an old sign, propped up against a tree. It was wrinkled and faded. 

The words Godric's Hollow in fine silver print could just barely be made out. The minute Harry stepped onto the road. The air felt different. It had a certain magical air to it. There was a certain tension to it, and Harry almost expected it to crackle and pop with the magic that it had once contained. He stepped onto a sidewalk and shivered, wrapping his arms around himself. He wasn't sure what to expect. It was strange--he wanted to see where he had once lived, and see the house his parents lived in. But at the same time he didn't. He hated the feeling of sadness. They were dead, and he should get over it, and move on. He hadn't thought about them so much until this year, what with the potion, letter, and now this as constant reminders. Harry turned around a corner with a feeling of dread. _I'm afraid of doing _this, he realized. He was afraid that he would miss his parents so much he wouldn't be able to do anything. But it couldn't be helped. He had to save the world. The usual. Harry cracked a smile at this thought, and raised his eyes, looking for a house. His gaze fell on a solitary house beyond where he was standing. It was painted a sky blue with white shutters. It was a quaint little house. Not overly large, and not small. It was just right. Harry approached it cautiously. This had to be the one. He could tell that part of it, the back, had been reconstructed. It looked newer than its surrounding area.

Harry was at the door now. It was funny, how fast his heart was beating, and how sweaty his hands were. He tried the knob. It was locked. Harry took out his wand.

"Alohamora," he whispered. The door clicked and creaked open. With a gulp, Harry stepped inside. He was in a small hallway. There were some stairs leading up, and a glimpse of the kitchen was on the left. An empty room was on the right. Harry stepped into the bare kitchen, which was devoid of any furniture. The air smelled dusty, as if it hadn't had anyone in it for a long time. Harry wandered around, not quite sure what he was expecting. There were four rooms on this floor, all of them empty without any furniture. As he approached the rebuilt area, no doubt where Voldemort had murdered his parents, Harry felt a sense of foreboding. 

As he entered, he felt tears spring to his eyes. He angrily blinked the tears away. Turning on his heel, he proceeded to go upstairs. There were two rooms on his left, and one on the right. Like the downstairs rooms, there was no furniture. When he entered the first room on the left, tears came to his eyes again. The walls were covered with wallpaper featuring carousel horses and teddy bears. This must have been Harry's room. Suddenly, he had an urge to go to the right corner of the room, near the window. When he got there, he was strangely drawn to the wall. He felt as if there was a force there, drawing it to him. It got stronger and stronger. 

Finally, Harry took out his wand. "Reducto!" he said, aiming at the spot in the wall. A small hole appeared, just big enough for him to out his hand in. He reached inside, feeling around. It was just plaster. But then he felt something in the corner. It was smooth and cold. He reached in further and pulled it out. It was a small clear marble. It looked like there was black smoke swirling inside of it.

"The Orb of Shadows," Harry whispered. He sank to the ground, just staring at it. He couldn't believe he had found it. He sat there for a few moments, just staring in stunned disbelief. He couldn't believe he held the object that could help destroy Voldemort in his hands. He stood up, clutching it tightly in his hand. It was a little unnerving holding something with such great power in his own hands. 

Still holding it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, he walked out of the room slowly and went into the next room. His breath caught in his throat. This had been his parents room. The walls were painted a cheery light blue to much the exterior of the house, and there was a white rug. Harry felt his eyes welling up again, and clutched the Orb even more tightly. He was about to walk out: he couldn't take it anymore, when a sparkle caught his eye. 

Harry walked carefully into the room, as if he didn't want to disrupt anything and over to the corner where he saw it. He looked around and again and saw it. It was a small mirror, no bigger than his hand. The lump in Harry's throat grew bigger, as he picked it up and examined it. Was this once his mother's? Or maybe his father's. He put it into his pocket, wanting some remainder of his parents. It barely fit and stuck out the top a little bit.

Thoroughly depressed, and wanting to leave the memories behind, Harry walked out of the room, down the stairs, and out of the eerily silent house. As he made his way around the corner and back to Hagrid, a brisk wind blew, drying the tears that had slipped silently down his face. Making sure that there were no more tears, Harry turned to see Hagrid sitting on a bench, twiddling his thumbs and looking worried. 

"I'm back," Harry said, taking a deep breath.

Hagrid jumped in surprise at hearing someone speak. When he moved in surprise, the bench creaked, groaned, and then broke, landing Hagrid on his bottom.

"Well, er…oops," said Hagrid sheepishly, looking at Harry. Even when he was sitting, he was still eye level with Harry. He got up, and brushed himself off. Harry turned wordlessly to walk, when he felt Hagrid's hand on his shoulder.

"Is..everything all right?" he said gruffly. Harry grimaced. _NO everything ISN'T all right! My parents are dead when I'm only 15, I miss them so much it actually hurts, I have to turn their murderer mortal, and may well die in the process!_

"Yeah, everything's fine," Harry said automatically.

"Good…" Hagrid said.

* * *

"Yes, Wormtail, he's found it. It's a just a matter of time now," a low voice hissed.

"Y-Yes, my Lord," a blustering voice squeaked. 

"He'll see what he wants to see, and convince himself that it's real. That's when he'll come to me!"

The voice faded in a flash of bright green light. And that now familiar laugh sounded, high and thin, echoing throughout the air.

* * * 

On the way back to Hogwarts they didn't say much. Harry was brooding about the Orb, while Hagrid sat there, staring off into space. Once they returned, Harry thanked Hagrid for bringing him, and insisting again that he was ok, dashed up to his dormitory, praying that everyone was asleep. He was in luck. The sound of gentle snores greeted his ears. Harry changed into his pajamas, and crawled into his bed, looking forward to a good night's sleep. He didn't want to think about all that had happened today yet. Then he remembered the mirror he found. He felt drawn to it, and he took it out of his robes, and examined it under the light. It was round mirror, with a golden back and carvings of flowers and hearts. In the center of it, it said LILY. Harry touched it, filled with longing. So it had been his mothers after all. He turned it over, and looked at his reflection. All of a sudden, he thought he saw something.

__

No, he thought, _That's just what I wish I would see._

He looked in again. Was he seeing things? He wanted to see it so badly…Harry looked at the mirror again, and this time he was sure it was real. He looked hungrily at the image of his parents in the mirror. Was this a piece of the Mirror of Erised or something? After all, people didn't normally just appear in mirrors. Harry stared at the image, transfixed, half thinking that maybe he was imagining things. He touched the mirror longingly, wanting to get closer to his parents.

Without warning, he pitched forward. Harry gave a yell as he saw what happened. The hand he had reached out to touch the mirror went into the mirror. But you couldn't see it on the other side. Suddenly, as if he was pulled through, the rest of him fell inside…

A/N: Does anyone get the title now? Harry Potter and the _Reflection of Desire_…yeah. Ok. So…getting exciting at all? I really hope so…anyway, please R/R and keep on checking back to find out what happens!

If you would like me to email you when I update, just send me an email. (mlz72288@yahoo.com)


	15. The Mirror's Reflection

"Harry," said a gentle voice. "Harry!" 

Harry groaned and rolled over. He was instantly awake when his head started throbbing with pain. Then he stopped. _Wait…where am I?? _

He looked around. He was lying on a bed in the hospital wing, and Albus Dumble was standing over him with a worried look on his face.

"Whaaaaat??" Harry said, totally confused. Dumbledore's face cracked into a smile.

"How are you feeling, Harry," he said, smiling warmly. 

"I…ok…except my head hurts…But…where-…what-…who-you…"

"Relax, my dear boy," Dumbledore said coaxingly. "It's all fine now. That was quite an adventure you had there."

"VOLDEMORT!" Harry blurted out. Everything had been fuzzy, but that one fact stood out clearly in his head now. "Voldemort was…inside my mother's mirror??"

Dumbledore gave a sad sort of smile. 

"Harry," he said, sighing heavily. "That was not your mother's mirror. Voldemort had somehow known that you would be going to Godric's Hollow, and so he planted the mirror there. Before he did that, he bewitched it so that you would see the image of your parents in it. Then, if any part of you happened to touch it, you would be pulled through to the other side, where he would be waiting."

The last few words echoed eerily through the quiet room. Harry was starting to make sense of it now.   
"But…" he said, "Voldemort was about the _kill _me. Then I…I blacked out or something."

Here, Dumbledore smiled wanly.

"He almost succeeded. Had I not been alerted by Hagrid earlier that you picked up a strange mirror, you would have certainly been dead by now." A chill went through Harry's spine.

"However," Dumbledore continued, "Hagrid saw a glimpse of the mirror in your pocket, I imagine. He alerted me immediately after you returned. I ventured into the Gryffindor Common Room and found it strangely quiet." His half moon spectacles winked in the light. "I went into your sleeping quarters, and saw that you were not there, but there _was _a mirror, lying forlorn on your bedside. I knew immediately it was trick, so I went in myself. I was able to stun Voldemort who was taken aback with surprise, and you, and then whisk you and I both out in time!"

So he had escaped Voldemort again…so far.

Suddenly he remembered something. 

"Professor!" he screeched, "The Orb of Shadows!"

Dumbledore gave him a politely puzzled look.

"I found the Orb of Shadows in Godric's Hollow, and I had it in my pocket, and I used it on Voldemort!" Harry said in a rush, just remembering.

"Voldemort is mortal now! So he-" he stopped abruptly.

Dumbledore had gone ghastly pale. 

"Harry…" he said, "Did you use it…er, while you were inside the mirror?"

Harry nodded slowly, quite alarmed. Dumbledore's pale face turned even more white. His hands were shaking slightly. 

"What is it," Harry said urgently. "Tell me!"

"Harry…" Dumbledore said slowly. "Do you know the exception about using spells inside mirrors?"

"No…" Harry said, trailing off. Dumbledore gave a sharp intake of breath. 

"Well," he said slowly, "You know that when you look into a mirror, everything you see is reversed."

Harry nodded again, wondering what that had to do with anything.

"The thing is," Dumbledore said, "When you cast a spell inside a mirror, unless you have a special countercurse…the spell you cast is reversed."

"Ok, so that means when I used the Orb of Shadows, the spell was reversed." Then the full meaning of this hit , and he paled.

"Then that means instead of making Voldemort weaker…"

"You made him more powerful." Dumbledore finished.

***

The following night, Harry lay brooding in bed. He couldn't believe what Dumbledore had told him. There must have been some sort of mistake. So now Voldemort was stronger than he had ever been, and it was all because of him. No, because he "hadn't known, and it was an honest mistake" according to Dumbledore. It didn't make him feel any better. The guilt was eating at him from the inside. _Why didn't I think of that??_ He berated himself over and over again. 

He didn't want to admit it to himself, but he was terrified of what would happen if he tried to use the Orb again. He had almost died this time. Harry suddenly felt ashamed. His father and mother had died to protect him, and they had trusted him to weaken Voldemort. And what did he do instead? He increased Voldemort's powers and was now lying, hiding under his covers shaking with terror. Harry suddenly bolted straight up, filled with determination. He was not going to lie here, quaking with fear. When the time came, he would do what he had to do, and he was not going to let Voldemort murder him.

Harry glanced over at his bedside table, where his 'mother's' mirror sat. Suddenly, he was filled with hatred for Voldemort, for that damn mirror that started this. In a fit of fury, Harry took the mirror and smashed it on the floor. It shattered into four large fragments. Harry picked it up hurled it out the window, wanting to be rid of it forever. Shaking, he slid back under his covers and closed his eyes. He fell almost instantly into a fitful sleep, having nightmares of seeing green flashes, evil laugher and Lord Voldemort. 

He didn't see the fragment of mirror that had fallen from the shattered mirror and slid under his bed, hidden from sight.

__

Break and mirror and you get seven years of bad luck…


	16. The Stone Chamber

Harry landed with a loud thump onto a hard stone floor. Terrified, he whipped out his wand and held it in front of him. He looked at the room around him. It looked like a small stone chamber. There were small torches lighting it up, and there was no visible windows or doors. Harry walked in a circle, groping around for a door. 

Suddenly, the torches went out., and everything was pitch black.

"Stupefy!" hissed a low voice. Before Harry had a chance to do anything, he felt the spell hit him and he blacked out. 

* * *

Harry swam into consciousness, things fading from black. He gave a muffled gasp. The most feared wizard of all time was standing in front of him. He wore robes blacker than the blackest of nights. He had pale, pale skin that was almost white, and livid black eyes with glints of red. He sneered at Harry, his long pointed fingers forming a fist over his wand. 

"15 years…" Lord Voldemort hissed, "15 years I've waited. You've escaped me every time, but there will not be a next time. Today will be the end. I've waited for so long…" his pale lips cracked into a malicious smile, and his snakelike eyes held nothing but pure hatred. 

Harry, who knew it was hopeless, stood up, ignoring the searing pain as his bindings dug into his wrists and ankles. He stood face to face with Voldemort. He wasn't going to die crawling on the floor, cowering under Voldemort, no, he was going to stand there face to face with Lord Voldemort, like a man. Like his father did. He would die with dignity, not shame. He glared at Voldemort, his terror turning into boiling hatred. 

__

I'll fight him till the end. Harry told himself. Suddenly Harry gave a gasp, which, fortunately, was muffled by his gag. _The Orb of Shadows!_ He could use it on Voldemort, and while he was distracted…_find a place to hide?_ Harry thought in disgust to himself. 

"You'll die tonight," Voldemort was saying, "Be dead like the rest of your family. Your good for nothing family. They didn't even present a challenge to me. But you…you have escaped me. But that was purely luck. I _WILL_ DESTROY YOU TONIGHT!!!" 

Harry was breathing hard right now, consumed by a mixed feeling of pure hatred and terror. He felt a shiver go up his spine. A mad hatred was coming over him. He flexed his fingers forgetting that he was a 15 year old wizard, with little experience. He wanted to run over to Voldemort and punch him in the face. Yeah, and he'd rip out his hair, and strangle him, making him beg with mercy. But he wasn't going to let himself be distracted. He casually put his hand inside his robes, awkwardly feeling around his pocket for the Orb. Luckily it was dark, so Voldemort couldn't see him rustling around. Harry's hand closed around a small round object. With a surge of relief, Harry took it out and held it in his hand as best as he could, what with the binding forcing his wrists together. Suddenly, Voldemort stopped talking. 

"You think you can deceive me?" he said with an evil laugh. "To think that I, Lord Voldemort, would be outsmarted by a mere fifth year wizard?" He flung out his wand.

"Accio!" 

With dread, Harry realized he wasn't able to hang on to the Orb. It zoomed right into Voldemort's outstretched hand. Harry watched his face. When he saw what it was, there was the unmistakable look of pure terror flickered on his face. Harry felt triumphant for a second, satisfied that he had frightened Lord Voldemort. 

"The Orb of Shadows," Voldemort whispered. His expression hardened, and then he cackled. 

"To think that you would have been able to use this against me!" He looked condescendingly down at Harry, then put the Orb into his robe pocket. 

"Well your death has already been delayed 14 years. We might as well get it over with," he said with a truly evil smile. Harry's breath caught in his throat. Would it work? He had nothing to lose…

Voldemort took out his wand and raised it above his head, pointing it at Harry. It was a blood red color, unlike any wand Harry had ever seen.

"_Magaeus erisede_!" Harry suddenly cried out. The words had just come into his mind, thought he had never heard them before. Voldemort stared at him, laughing cruelly. Suddenly, the pocket of his robe, where the Orb of Shadows was, began to glow green. It got brighter and brighter, until it was almost blinding. Harry squinted through half closed eyes and saw that Voldemort had been enveloped in the green glow. There was a loud cackling, high and evil, as the light got brighter and brighter. Then everything started to quiet, and the green glow faded away. It left Voldemort standing there, gasping for strength, hunched over and breathing heavily.

"Noooooo!" he wailed. His eyes turned to Harry. "You!" he snarled, "YOU DID THIS TO ME!" His black eyes burned with hatred. "Now it's your turn to DIE!" He raised his wand high above his head. 

"Avada-"

Without warning, Harry felt the ground slide out from under him. His head hit the ground with a loud thud, and he instantly blacked out.


	17. By Starlight

"Harry, come back to us," his mother cried through a foggy glass, "Come back…" her voice ended in a shrill wail. Harry was hanging on the edge of the glass, holding on with all his might against the powerful wind that was trying to separate them 

"I'm trying!" Harry yelled against the fierce gusts of wind, "I'm trying, hold on…"

Harry gave a muffled groan. He opened his eyes a slit, and closed them right away against the weak strains of light wavering through the window_. Stupid dream_, Harry thought bitterly, _dreaming about my dead parents again. What's wrong with me?_ Harry rolled over, with his eyes closed and buried his face into his pillow. He rolled over again -- and promptly fell out of his bed with a big thump. 

"All right, Harry?" Ron's sleep-laden voice wafted through the air. Harry grunted in response. Talk about waking up on the wrong side of the bed. He got up and pulled his covers back on his bed. Now that he was awake, he might as well stay up. Harry quickly pulled on some old robes and walked into the Great Hall, yawning widely. 

It was a week or two after the fateful Mirror incident. Harry had just woken up on the day before Christmas Eve, and was just getting started on some toast when Ron came down, dressed in full Quidditch robes.

Harry looked at him, a confused look on his face.

"Any reason you're all dressed up in Quidditch robes?"

Ron gave him a look like he was stupid.

"There's a final Quidditch game to determine who gets into the QQ Finals today Harry, don't you remember?"

Harry vaguely remembered Wood saying something about a game with some team from elsewhere in Europe. He had kind of just nodded and agreed with everything. Funny how he didn't feel nervous at all…

It seemed like only a few minutes later that he was walking out onto the Quidditch pitch. He recalled Wood's pep talk, something about playing against one of the best teams in Spain and to watch out for their Seeker, that he was very fast. 

As he gazed around at the screaming crowd, he felt a sudden jolt, and the full seriousness of the situation hit him. They were in the semifinals of the Quidditch Quest! He barely had time to register that when the game began. It was the fastest game of Quidditch Harry had seen yet. The other team's Chasers were excellent, a good match for the Gryffindor team chasers. They swooped in and out, maneuvering their brooms with excellent skill. Harry saw the other team's Seeker, a tiny little girl with a shock of red hair. Harry flew high above the game as he usually did and scanned the field for the Snitch. He saw the other Seeker doing the same. He pulled up and hovered a few feet above him. Suddenly, he spotted a glint of gold. With excitement, Harry dove quickly in the direction of the sparkle. 

He came to an abrupt halt in front of one of the stands. He didn't see anything. Disappointed, he started to circle the pitch, going beneath the game now, rather than above. He looked up and saw a mix of red and orange robes, the Gryffindor and Spanish team blending together. Now that he was farther toward the ground, he could hear Lee's commentary.

"And the Encanta School of Magic scores another 10 points, bringing the score 40-30, in favor of Hogwarts." There was thunderous cheering from the stands. Harry circled the field once more, looking above him for the Snitch. 

Suddenly, he felt a blast of air as a Bludger went whistling by him, missing his left leg by inches. Startled, Harry turned to see a rather large boy sitting on a broom holding a club the size of a small sapling. He was grinning a toothless grin at Harry as he hit another Bludger toward him. As Harry turned back around to face the game, keeping a wary out for more stray Bludgers and the large Beater, he saw what seemed to be a small golden walnut with white wings. The Snitch! Harry tore of in that direction, and spotted the other team's Seeker coming down toward him. 

The scenery was whizzing by him as Harry's heart pumped faster, now that he was so close to the Snitch. The Snitch was hovering slightly in that spot still, as Harry came from below and the other red haired Seeker came from above. Harry put on a burst of speed and reached out an arm. Straining slightly, he reached out and grabbed, and miraculously, felt his hand close around the Snitch. 

The stands exploded. Harry raised his arm triumphantly, happiness flooding through him. He caught a glance of the large Beater. He had a scornful expression on his face. A Bludger came whizzing past right then, and the large Beater cracked a smile and swung the club with all his might, directing the Bludger toward Harry. 

Harry, realizing what he was about to do, tried to swerve out of the way, but he wasn't fast enough. The Bludger hit him on his shin. Harry suddenly felt excruciating pain all throughout his left leg. Gasping in pain, he rolled off his broom onto the ground lying there spread eagled, the Snitch still caught in his hand. His eyes watered and he realized the stands had gone quiet. He saw Madame Pomfrey rushing toward him. When she reached him, she took on look at his leg and her squinty little eyes grew wide.

"That's a nasty break, we'd better get you inside," she said. "Here," she extended a bony hand and helped Harry to his feet…er…foot. Harry winced in pain and hopped out on one foot . The stands broke into relieved applause. Harry didn't hear, as he was too busy trying not to shout out in pain.

When they reached the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey helped Harry onto a bed. 

"I'll be a minute, just sit still." She hurried off to get something. Harry found this quite ironic as he wasn't exactly able to get up and run off. So he sat there for what seemed like hours, gripping the arms of the chair so tightly his knuckles turning white, his leg propped up on a pillow. 

Madam Pomfrey bustled back in with her wand. 

"Now, this will only hurt for a moment, so just brace yourself," she said warningly. Harry braced himself. Madam Pomfrey bent over him and touched his leg gently with her wand while muttering something. Harry felt a tremendous jolt of pain and closed his eyes tightly. Then, just as quickly, it went away and his leg felt normal again, just ached a little, but not nearly as bad as before. 

"There, that's all that is to it," Madam Pomfrey said. "Just try to keep off of it as much as you can for a day or two, and you'll be fine."

Harry thanked her and left the hospital wing, and back into the common room where all the Gryffindors were. Anxiously, they crowded around him and after seeing he was fine, congratulated him loudly on their victory over the other team, yammering on about Snitches, stupid Beaters and the Quidditch Quest finals. Harry smiled and nodded, really just wanting to go upstairs and lie in his bed. Gritting his teeth, he told them he was going to rest, and limped up to the boy's dormitory. He was pleased to find Ron there, rereading _Flying with the Chudley Cannons_ for the millionth time.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, "are you ok? I saw what happened down there, that moron Beater, but we won! Great catch!"

"I'm fine, thanks, and you didn't do too badly either, Ron," Harry said grinning. "But I think I'm just going to…er…rest for now." Ron nodded understandingly as Harry went over to his bed. Ron, sensing that he might want to be alone, walked out. 

Harry lay down in his bed, staring up at the bright red canopy. So much had happened to him within his fifth year, so much more serious than Quidditch games, that winning the Quidditch Quest semifinals didn't excite him nearly as much as it would have a year ago. His parents…Harry shook his head at himself. _They're dead, get over it,_ his brain told him. But his heart wouldn't listen. He had always missed them, but after he had been so close to believing that they were alive, and then losing the hope again, he longed to have his parents back even more. Thinking deep thoughts, Harry fell into a restless sleep. 

When he woke again, the dorm room was full; he could hear the snores of the other Gryffindor boys. Harry got up and walked over to the window near his bed and opened it, breathing in the crisp winter air. The stars were unusually bright, glinting in the coal black sky. It was all so beautiful. It seemed to have snowed since the last time Harry looked outside, because a light dusting covered the Hogwarts grounds, giving everything a surreal glow. Harry sighed, that familiar feeling of longing coming over him. He turned to look at the rest of the boy's dormitory. He could make out Ron's red hair, and could hear Neville's distinct snore. Harry looked at his own empty bed, covers thrown in disarray. He turned away, then suddenly turned to look at it again. There was a faint sparkle coming from under his bed. Harry went over and looked under it. 

Lying there, glinting in the starlight was a piece of the broken mirror. It brought back a whoosh of memories, causing Harry to remember seeing his parents in the mirror…in fact…Harry picked up the mirror fragment and gazed into it. Shocked, Harry saw his parents reflection again. Feeling stupid, Harry turned around catiously. All he saw was Neville drooling on his pillow. Harry turned back around and looked into the mirror. A wave of longing swept through him again. But this time he knew what was waiting for him in there. A big stone chamber…with Voldemort waiting for him. Well, at least he was last time. Harry looked at his parents, desperately wanting them to come out of the mirror. Unknowingly, Harry touched the mirror. Suddenly, the world seemed to tip forward, and Harry was swept off his feet back into the mirror…


	18. The Killing Curse

* * *

Meanwhile, Professor Lupin was coming out of the Forbidden Forest. He had just finished his monthly transformation from werewolf back to human. It wasn't nearly as unpleasant now. Humming cheerfully, he walked out of the Forest and along a Hogwarts wall. 

Something shining in the light caught his eye, and he walked over to it and stooped down to look. There were three big pieces of what seemed to be a mirror lying in the grass. He looked closer into the mirror and saw what seemed to be a reflection of someone behind him in the mirror. He turned around, but saw nothing but the Forbidden Forest behind him. Cautiously, he picked it up and looked straight into it. 

Reflected in the mirror was what seemed to be…James and Lily Potter! Lupin let out a strangled yell in surprise. He gazed into the mirror, and James waved to him. Lupin picked up the two other pieces and tried to fit them together. There was a big piece missing from it. 

Suddenly, a wave of suspicion swept over him. He had heard of these mirrors before, bewitched to show what one wanted, to lure them into the a chamber hidden inside the mirror. But who would want to see James and Lily Potter?

__

Harry Potter, Lupin realized. And who would want to lure him inside…_Lord_ _Voldemort_, he thought with ensuing panic. But as long as the mirror was intact, Voldemort was confined inside of it, and couldn't come out…However…the mirror was broken, and Harry still unknowingly had a piece somewhere.

Professor Lupin, everything else forgotten, ran as fast as he could toward Dumbledore's office.

* * * 

There was a whirlwind of color and light, and then Harry landed with a thud on the cold stone floor that was the chamber inside the mirror. Harry lay there, seeing nothing but black. It was so dark that he couldn't make out anything at all, not even the hand he held in front of his face. Standing up gingerly, he waved his arms around wildly. He tried to find a wall or something solid, with his arms outstretched, but he felt nothing. 

Suddenly Harry heard a low, vicious laugh. 

"Foolish boy," the low voice murmured condescendingly.   
Harry turned around blindly in the dark, groping around wildly for anything; the source of the laughter of a wall. The laughter increased until it was louder and louder. Then a brilliant green flash light lit up the room. Harry squinted, the sound of the person's laughter ringing in his ears and turned around frantically, trying to see who was there. But then the flash of green light dimmed and all he could see was black again. 

Then, there was a flare of light and a torch lit up, illuminating the face of Lord Voldemort, the most feared wizard of all time. Harry stepped backwards slowly, breathing heavily. It couldn't be…he was having a bad dream…

"And we meet again," Voldemort growled, eyes narrowed, wand held out. "Fourteen years, and you've escaped me every time. But today…today, you shall not. I _will not _let you. No more clumsy mistakes." His voice was a low hiss, dripping with hatred for Harry. "You've hidden from each time, safe with Dumbledore," he said malevolently.

"I have not _hidden_ from you," Harry burst out abruptly, before he could stop himself. Voldemort shook his head and gave a mirthless laugh. "How brave. I hope you will put that trait to use today, because this _will _be our final duel together. You have been taught to duel…" Harry put a shaking hand inside his robe pocket and felt his wand there. He gripped it and thrust it out at Voldemort. Voldemort gave a careless glace at it and stared long and hard at Harry, who stood, wand arm raised, shaking with fear and anger. 

Harry looked at Voldemort's eyes. They were dark and soulless. But suddenly they widened, as if he had realized something. Voldemort gave an amused smirk and his lips curved upward into something resembling a smile, but without the happiness. 

"You have broken the mirror. You're just making your own murder easier for me." With a fiendish cackle, he lurched forward and grabbed Harry by the wrist before he could do anything. His bony white fingers wrapped themselves painfully around Harry's arm. Harry tried to twist to aim a spell at him, but he couldn't; Voldemort's grip on him was too tight.

"_Volaris Obire!_" Voldemort shouted, raising his wand to the ceiling. 

Harry felt his feet leaving the ground. Alarmed, Harry stopped moving. They were shooting up toward the ceiling of the room. Harry braced himself for a crash, but nothing happened and they were quite suddenly out of the stone chamber. 

Harry landed on a grassy floor. He wrenched free of Voldemort, panting, and got up and tried to run. Not to hide, for he would not be murdered while trying to flee, but ran to get some distance between them, to prepare himself better for the inevitable duel to the end. Suddenly, his left leg, the one that had been broken only a day before, gave out. 

Harry lay sprawled on the ground for half a second, but clammered back up, ignoring the dull throb of pain, and held his wand held high above him. He suddenly realized where he was -- the Quidditch field! Voldemort was standing 20 feet away from him, the faint outline of golden hoops behind him. All Harry could make out of him was a dark hooded figure. Harry walked cautiously closer. It wouldn't do to run; he wasn't going to let Voldemort scare him. The sky was dark, but a dim light was provided by the stars.

He looked at the figure that was Voldemort, standing there motionlessly. Suddenly he spoke.

"So, here it is, Potter," he spat. "Just you and I, alone. I don't have my Death Eaters here, nor any servants. We will be alone to the end…no Dumbledore, and no mother to die for you this time, Harry. A duel to the end." Harry narrowed his eyes. He wasn't going to let Voldemort kill him, not if he could help it, but he wasn't going to run either. He would stand here, and face him with dignity. He was clutching his wand so tightly he was afraid he might snap it in half.

Voldemort kept on talking. "They all thought that you were so brave, so cunning to have escaped me. They never stopped to consider that you were just foolishly lucky each time." Voldemort paused to sneer at Harry, who didn't say anything, just kept his eyes locked on Voldemort. "But now, the one they all thoughtlessly call The-Boy-Who-Lived shall not live for much longer," Voldemort said with a malicious expression. Harry couldn't stand it. "Yeah," he said, "We'll see about that, Man-Who-Let-The-Boy-Live." This was too much for Voldemort and he broke down into tears…

(No, silly, that's not really what happened! Here's how it really goes:)

"But now, the one they all thoughtlessly called The-Boy-Who-Lived shall not live for much longer." Voldemort said with a malicious expression. Harry wanted to say something, but he stopped himself. _Just let him keep talking, _Harry thought to himself. Maybe he could come up with some kind of plan. He looked beyond Voldemort at the castle, and thought how ironic it was that the Hogwarts Castle, along with help, was so close. As he drew his gaze away from the castle, something shiny in the grass behind Voldemort drew his eyes. Harry tried to look at it closer without arousing suspicion from Voldemort. It was the broken piece of mirror…

"_Accio Mirror!_" Harry whispered as quietly as he could. The piece of mirror skittered across the grass and flew to land by his foot. Abruptly, Voldemort stopped talking. He saw the mirror lying by Harry's foot. His red eyes glittered with malice. 

"How foolish you are. You truly think a mirror will save you?" He gave a hoarse laugh. 

But Harry had a plan now, and his heart was beating fast in his chest. But he wasn't scared. What would come, would come, and he would meet it or fail trying when it did. 

Voldemort raised his wand, eyes locked on Harry's. Time stood still for a moment as the two had their wands raised, eyes locked on the other's wand, waiting for someone to make the first move. Voldemort broke the spell of silence.

"_Mortem_ _Moirisi_" Voldemort cried, pointing his wand at Harry. Acting upon pure instinct, Harry thrust the piece of mirror in front of his heart. He saw the jet of green light come toward him and hit the mirror. There was an impact that knocked Harry backwards, but the spell bounced off the mirror, leaving Harry unharmed. It rebounded straight back to Voldemort and hit him. 

Hardly daring to believe it, Harry dropped the mirror in shock and stared at Voldemort, who was shrieking in anguish. "You won't get away with this!" he roared, with what seemed to be great effort, he clutched his wand and pointed it in Harry's direction, uttering the fatal words:

"_Avada Kedavra!_" 

Harry had no time to react; he tried to leap aside, but he was too slow. He felt the spell hit him, and then…he felt no more.

A/N: yeah, don't you love my little interjection of Harry talking back to Voldemort…sorry, had to put that in, hope it didn't ruin the mood. Anyway

****

THAT IS NOT ALL!!!!! THERE IS ONE MORE CHAPTER, and you should definitely read it or else you'll forever be wondering….did Harry die…or will something happen….


	19. Exeunte Anno

Panting, Professor Lupin burst into Hogwarts, and sprinted up several staircases to reach Professor Dumbledore's office. Just then, the stone gargoyle leaped aside, and Dumbledore himself came out. 

"Professor, Harry--help--now!" he shouted, his voice coming out in spurts.

"Calm yourself, Remus," Dumbledore said, looking slightly alarmed. "Now, what was that?" 

Professor Lupin took a deep a breath and continued more calmly, "Professor, have you ever heard of the _Bewitched _Mirrors?"

"Yes, Remus, but what does that--"

"Lord Voldemort has somehow managed to gave gotten hold of one, and he bewitched it to show Lily and James Potter, and then planted it for Harry to find. Harry did find it, and I found a piece outside, meaning he must of broken it, meaning--"

"Voldemort can come out of the chamber within the Mirror and into Hogwarts," Dumbledore finished, fear on his ancient face. "We must find Harry at once."

Together, they made their way out the doors and onto the Hogwarts grounds. There was little light, and they stumbled onto the grounds, straining to see some distant shape, a shadow, fearing the worst. It was Professor Lupin who first saw the crumpled figure lying in the middle of the Quidditch field.

"There," he shouted, pointing. They ran over, and as they neared, saw the shape of Harry Potter lying motionless on the grass. 

Dumbledore went white. He bent over Harry, muttering spells and enchantments. Suddenly he stood up.

"There's not much time…Get Madame Pomfrey," he said sharply.

* * *

Ron and Hermione had heard whispers in the corridors, and terrified of what could be, they rushed down to the hospital wing. When they didn't find Madame Pomfrey there, they darted to Professor Dumbledore's office. They met him there; Ron with a terrified expression on his face, and Hermione with tears streaming down her face, they confronted him about Harry.

Dumbledore's blue eyes had lost their twinkle, and he seemed much older than usual. 

"Harry," Dumbledore said heavily, when he was questioned by them, "is currently in the hospital wing. It seems that just an hour earlier, he met Lord Voldemort on these very grounds. The Quidditch field, in fact." Hermione gave a gasp as Dumbledore continued. 

"I cannot be sure, but I do not think I am mistaken when I say that I believe he and Lord Voldemort had some sort of a duel. It seems Harry was able to cast some sort of spell to overpower Voldemort temporarily and weaken him, but then Voldemort regained enough strength to cast the _Avada Kedavra _curse on Harry."

At this, Hermione broke into grief-stricken sobs again as Ron just stood there, too shocked to move. 

"_However_," Dumbledore started to say. "However…I do not know…I do not think the spell had the effect Voldemort intended it to have."

Hermione stopped sobbing, while Ron just stared. They both looked at Dumbledore incredulously. 

"It seems once the spell was cast, Voldemort fled and is now in hiding, as there have been no more reported murders. Harry, however, was left there until someone stumbled over him. When brought into the hospital wing, I do not believe he was dead, but unconscious."

Hermione and Ron just looked at him warily, not daring to hope. 

"So what do we do now?" Hermione demanded, a quaver in her voice. 

"We wait."

* * *

__

Harry Potter, said the low hissing voice, _You thought you could overpower me? No, I defeated you in the end. Everyone will now see the wrath of my power! I killed you Harry Potter…Harry…Harry… _"Harry…Harry!"

Harry stirred weakly and opened his eyes and found himself staring into a pair of grave blue eyes behind spectacles that were winking in the light.

"Harry!" said Dumbledore, looking the most surprised Harry had ever seen him to be. "You're awake!" he said slowly.

"Er….yes?" Harry said, wondering where he was, what he was doing there, and feeling completely bewildered. 

Then, as suddenly as if someone had flipped a switch, everything came rushing back. He had been in the Quidditch field with Voldemort…then Voldemort had hit him with the _Avada Kedavra_ curse! It all came rushing back to quickly, it made him even more dizzy then he had felt before. It was as though Dumbledore had read his mind.

"Harry…You know I hate to ask this of you…but I need to know exactly what happened."

Harry remembered Dumbledore telling him the same thing the close of last year. It was painful his fourth year, and it would be the same this time around. But he knew he had to. 

He opened his mouth to talk, and once he started, everything came spilling out. He started from the failed potion, telling Dumbledore about the flashes of green light and the spells of fainting, told him in a monotonous voice about visiting Godric's Hollow, the letter from his Mum, and everything that had happened after and in-between. 

When he finished, his voice was hoarse, but it felt as if a great burden had lifted off him. Dumbledore looked at Harry.

"I thank you, Harry, for having to relive everything again. I know it must have been hard, but you did so with great courage. As I have said before, you have shouldered a great wizard's burden, and found yourself equal to it, exhibiting bravery beyond which anyone could have expected." 

"Professor…" Harry said timidly after a moment of pause, "Er…why am I…" Harry wasn't quite sure exactly how to phrase his question. "Er…why am I…not dead?"

Dumbledore just stared at him for a moment, looking tired. 

"You were certainly dangerously close to being dead. If Professor Lupin had not notified me sooner of a mysterious mirror he found, I rather think you would have been unconscious for more than several days, the way you just were."

"I was unconscious for _days?_" Harry asked incredulously. He could hardly believe it, he felt fine, if not a just a little bit dizzy.

"Well consider yourself lucky. That's the second time you have survived the Killing Curse from Voldemort."

"How did I--" Harry started to say, but Dumbledore started to speak again.

"I think…I have a theory as to how this…phenomenon occurred…the _Exsilio orior._"

Harry gave him a blank look. Dumbledore smiled benignly. 

"The _Exsilio orior_ is also known as the Link of Debt. It starts as such….do you remember in your third year, Harry, how you saved Peter Pettigrew's life?"

"Wormtail," Harry muttered under his breath.

"Yes. However, when one wizard saves another wizard's life, it creates a special kind of bond between them--no matter how much they detest each other," he added, when Harry started to protest.

"This bond cannot be broken no matter what…That is, unless the debt is repaid. Last year, when you witnessed Lord Voldemort's rebirth, you said that Wormtail cut off his own hand in contribution to the spell that helped Voldemort arise."

Harry nodded mutely. 

"Then my theory is that because Wormtail was indebted to you from the previous year, and his blood and flesh was present in helping Voldemort to rise again, in some distant connection, _Voldemort_ was somehow indebted to you. Therefore when he cast the Avada Kedavra curse toward you, it didn't kill you. Only knocked you out for a week or so. " 

There was a moment of silence when Harry tried to grasp the idea. Suddenly it clicked.

"You mean--"

Madame Pomfrey bustled over then, and Harry stopped talking. 

"You must take this potion, Potter," she said curtly, "it will help for a restful sleep." 

Without argument, and almost relieved at being able to temporarily forget everything, Harry drank the potion. 

"Sleep well, Harry," Dumbledore said fondly. "and don't worry about anything. It is the _exeunte anno_. The end of the year. Just think, soon you'll be going home." Harry grimaced at the thought of the Dursleys, but before he could finish the potion, he found himself drifting off to sleep.

"Will he be all right, Poppy?" Dumbledore asked, watching Harry after the Sleeping Potion was administered. 

"I believe he will be fine after _plenty_ of rest and potion, Headmaster."

"Good," he said. "Now I do believe a Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger will be most relieved to hear this news."

* * *

It was a week later, and Harry was still in the hospital wing, under Madame Pomfrey's instructions (one could also call them demands). Ron and Hermione had been in to visit him everyday. The first few days, they had approached him nervously, almost as if they were scared. However, after a while, they were soon at ease again, discussing anything that did not touch upon the subject of parents, mirrors, and Voldemort. Harry knew there were probably rumors circulating the school once more, but he found he didn't much care. 

Now, he lay alone in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He still couldn't believe what had happened. Turning over angrily, he buried his face in the pillow. All this had happened because of his foolishness. The first time he had gone into the mirror, Dumbledore had saved him, and he had been lucky. He should have _known_ not to look in the mirror again, let alone touch it! 

But then he was a big enough prat to touch the mirror _again_, to go into it again, where he had known Voldemort had been before. 

Just then, there was the quiet noise of a door carefully being closed. Harry ignored it, and kept angrily berating himself. When a hand touched him on the shoulder, he yelped and nearly jumped out of skin in surprise.

"Shhhh, Harry," said Dumbledore, "Madame Pomfrey will have me thrown out."

"Sorry, professor," Harry said, "I was just--"

"Blaming yourself," Dumbledore finished for him. "Something that you shouldn't be doing, as it wasn't your fault."

"But it was!" Harry burst out angrily, "If I hadn't been thinking of my…parents for so long, I wouldn't have gotten the mirror, and I wouldn't have--"

Dumbledore stopped him. "Think of it this way, Harry," he said, smiling kindly, "you have weakened him into hiding once more, with a rather ingenious idea of reflecting his spell off a mirror. The whole wizarding world is rejoicing once again, and no one knows how long he will hide. Meanwhile, we are prepared. " Harry refused to crack a smile.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Harry, but _this was not your fault_. But that wasn't why I came in," he said hastily. "I came in to talk to you, Harry. Do you understand the _Exsilio orior?_"

Harry nodded; he had been thinking about it nonstop for the past few days; Wormtail being in debt to Harry, giving a part of himself to Voldemort, Voldemort being in debt to him…Dumbledore looked satisfied. 

"Now, about these…er…one could call them visions, Harry, about green light and this high laughter?" Harry looked more alert; he had been wondering. 

Dumbledore continued, "I believe they were the work of Lord Voldemort. Whenever he was feeling particularly vindictive or plotting something particularly evil, you experienced these…visions. Perhaps almost as a warning. From what you told me about the contents about your mother's letter , you know that she was an avid crystal-gazer. It is conceivable that some of her talents were transferred to you. "

Harry made a face, as the first thing he connected with crystal gazing was Professor Trelawney. Then he thought about what Dumbledore had said for a moment, and nodded, understanding.

"Well then," Dumbledore said, "I believe that's all I wanted to discuss with you, Harry. Just get some rest and perhaps Madame Pomfrey will finally let you out." his blue eyes twinkled with merriment. "I will see you later, then."

* * *

The wizarding world was rejoicing at Voldemort going to hiding again, though warily. Harry was hated even more ferociously by the Slytherins, who thought he was just out to get a bit of attention--according to them, last year it was the Triwizard Tournament, and this year it was trying to get himself killed…However, when Harry looked back over those few weeks he found he could barely remember what had happened. Everything just flew by. Just about the only thing Harry did remember clearly was the talk he had had with Dumbledore. Madame Pomfrey had demanded that Harry stay in the hospital wing for another week before she allowed him to leave. Harry had protested this, but was secretly thankful, as he was not anxious to return to the stares and whispers of the school, and the jeers of the Slytherins.

For Harry, everything else during the rest of his fifth year flew by. He studied for his O.W.L.s with Hermione and Ron, got tortured by Snape--as usual…and most importantly, in his opinion, practiced for the final game of the Quidditch Quest. 

Wood had said this final team was from the United States--the smallest state, in fact, Rhode Island. Harry found it quite ironic that this tiny state was able to have such a talented Quidditch team as to make it to the QQ Finals. 

So as the days drew nearer to the final match, Wood was in a frenzy. He seemed to have temporarily set up camp at Hogwarts, because he was there when Harry woke, and he was there before Harry went to sleep, always discussing tactics with him, holding practices every other hour, or so it seemed.

When the day of the match finally came, Wood hardly seemed to know what to do with himself. He paced around, muttering things. He was often overheard murmuring little bits of advice to himself. 

"I've heard their Seeker is excellent…but then there's those two Beaters…but the Porksoff Ploy should work…no, we haven't practiced it well enough…the divisionary tactics…" Harry was beginning to feel the effects of nerves for the final match also. However, he was just glad that Dumbledore had been persuaded by non other than Wood to let him to play in it at all. 

"Professor, nothing would happen to Potter, he'll be fifty feet in the air, and the only way You-Know-Who could get at him would be to make him fall first, and that would probably knock Harry out anyway, and anyway you know he'll never do that, with everyone watching…But he doesn't seem to mind killing large crowds, does he? No, but Harry would be perfectly safe, Professor, I promise!"

Nevertheless, Dumbledore insisted on all the teachers being present for the match, as it seemed Wood had not completely reassured him. 

In no time, the day of the Quidditch match dawned. It was a balmy day for Quidditch, with a slight wind. Wood restated this to the team as they gathered together, eating breakfast. Harry looked around the team. Wood was slightly green, pacing around the room, muttering to himself once again. Alicia was huddled in her chair, staring blankly into her toast. Katie and Angelina were talking quietly, giggling nervously. Fred and George had identical expressions of fear on their faces, while Ron just looked sick. Suddenly, Wood stood up. 

"Is everybody ready?" he said, his voice strangely high. The team nodded mutely. The match had been set to take place in Rhode Island, but because all of the Hogwarts teachers who were supposed to supervise the match at the last minute, couldn't leave the school and travel across the ocean, they had to have the game at Hogwarts. The team went into their locker rooms to change.

When they had all met up with Wood, he gave them one last pep talk and discussed tactics before he allowed them to go. As they stood huddled in the small room before they were to go onto the field, Harry caught a glance of the other team, who had just arrived. They wore robes of blue, and unlike most teams Harry had seen, most of the players were girls. 

Very soon after, Harry heard the familiar voice of the announcer, Lee Jordan. As Madame Hooch blew her whistle for the teams to come out to the field, he heard him start to talk.

"And welcome to the final game of the 44th Quidditch Quest! The teams are Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Aesaels Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now from Aesaels, heeeeeeeere's…Kenyon, Jones, Dayna , Hall, Fetherston, Smith, and…Zhaaaaaaang!" It seemed many supporters of the American team had traveled over, as the cheers from the stands were nearly deafening. "And from Hogwart's, heeeeeeeeere's…Weasley, Weasley, Weasley, Spinnet, Johnson, Bell, and…Potttttttttttttttttttter!" The shouts and applause were so loud they sent birds from the Forbidden Forest flying, and nearly toppled the tall Golden Hoops of the Quidditch field. 

As the players mounted their brooms and got into position, Harry caught sight of Wood, standing far below him on the Quidditch field, staring bug eyed at his players, hands clenched into fists. Harry turned his attention back to Madame Hooch, who had been speaking to the players. 

"I expect fair play from all of you," she was saying briskly, " as you are both representing your schools. I wish both of you good luck. Now on my whistle, you may begin. Ready now? Three…two…one…go!" She gave a shrill blast on her whistle as she released the Quidditch balls. 

Harry saw the Snitch for a brief moment, before it disappeared. As he rose high above the game, he started to feel the familiar feeling of nervousness and adrenaline. He spotted the other teams Seeker hovering near a goal post to his right. She was small and short and had hair as black as his own, and dark eyes. She reminded him a bit of Cho Chang, in fact…But there wasn't time to think about that. He turned his eyes back to the game, scanning the field. 

"And here comes Chaser Bell with the Quaffle…she's nearing the scoring area…shoots, Oh! Bludger nearly knocks her from her broom, sent this way by Beater Jones of Aesaels. Now it's Aesaels in possession. Chaser Hall has Quaffle…dodges two Bludgers…" 

Harry had to swerve as the Bludgers pelted his way. Below him, he saw a flash of sandy colored hair before Katie and Angelina closed in on him.

"Ooh, Bludger sent this way by…Fred Weasley…causes Hall to drop the Quaffle…caught by Spinnet, who passes to Angelina…they're getting awfully close…and YES! SCORE! Hogwarts scores the first ten points of the game! That makes the score 10-0 in favor of Hogwarts!"

Harry wanted to cover his ears as the crowd made more noise than he would have thought humanly possible. However, right then, he caught sight of the other team's Seeker streaking toward a corner of the field. 

Heart pounding, he bent low along his broom and zoomed off in her direction. As he neared her, she suddenly changed direction and shot upward. Harry realized that she really hadn't seen the Snitch, and pulled out of the dive just in time, and shot up to meet her in midair. 

Seeing that he hadn't been tricked, she gave him a sly smile, and Harry felt himself blushing. He shook his head, then went off in the other direction to search for the Snitch again. Harry would have to watch out for her, as she seemed very tricky.

As Harry flew above the game, he scanned the skies for any sign of gold, a flutter of tiny white wings while keeping an ear out for the commentary.

"And Chaser Kenyon of Aesaels has the Quaffle now, she passes to Fetherston…she's approaching the scoring area…she shoots…c'mon Ron, block…Ooh, so close Ron, Aesaels scores, bringing the score to 10-10!" 

Harry zoomed upward even further, looking below him at the game. 

Suddenly, he thought he saw the Snitch hovering near Ron. He went into a dive, shaking with excitement. He was speeding like a bullet, and reached out his hand to grab it. However, right then, a Bludger sent his way sent him swerving off course, and he lost sight of the Snitch. The crowd made a great "ooh" of disappointment.

"Too bad," Lee Jordan was saying, "Hogwarts Seeker, Potter nearly catches the Snitch, but Bludger sent his way by Beater Jones of Aesaels knocks him off course. Now it's Hogwarts in possession, Bell passes to Spinnet who passes back to Bell…they're nearing the goal posts…SCORE! YES! Hogwarts scores, bringing the score to 20-10, in favor of Hogwarts!" There was a eardrum-bursting roar from the crowd. No sooner had he finished speaking then, "And Chasers Hall and Fetherston approaching the goal posts…and score! That brings the score to tie again, 20-20!" 

Harry realized that this game would probably be very close, and he determinedly started to looked around again. Suddenly, the Snitch flew right by his face. Startled, Harry took his gaze off the game to swerve after the Snitch, but he was too late; he already lost it. Then he saw Aesael's Seeker chasing after something, most like the Snitch. 

"George!" Harry bellowed. George got the idea, and sent the nearest Bludger coming toward him toward the Seeker. She was forced to dive and lost sight of the Snitch. Harry heard Lee's commentary again, and was surprised to hear that while that was happening, Aesaels had scored again, bringing the score to 30-20, in favor of Aesaels. 

Harry brought his broom farther down a bit, to match the altitude of the other Seeker's. She grinned at him. Harry tried to ignore the pounding of his heart and kept his eyes peeled for the Snitch. He tuned in to Lee's commentary, and was disappointed to hear that Aesaels had scored yet again, bringing the score to 40-20, in favor of Aesaels. Harry pulled his broom into the thick of the game, instead of hovering about it. He dodged a Bludger, then went to looping around the players, searching for the Snitch. 

"And the Aesael Chasers are unstoppable today…they score again, pulling to score to 50-20...Come on, Hogwarts, pick up the pace!" As if in retaliation, Katie Bell scored, raising the score to 50-30. Harry was still searching for Snitch. 

He just couldn't seem to find it. He swerved, dodged and dived, listening while Lee announced the score from 60-30 to 60-40, to 60-50, to 70-50. Harry was beginning to feel the start of a panic…this was the longest game he remembered playing in. Soon, the score was 90-80. Harry could just imagine Wood standing in the crowd, tearing his hair out at their performance. Harry stared at the field, hoping to see the Snitch. He had to catch it soon, he just had to! They hadn't lost a match in a long time, and he didn't want to start now.

Abruptly, Harry began to feel more determined than ever. They had made it all the way to the finals, and he wasn't about to let them throw away their chance at the win now. With a new burst of hope and energy, Harry took to scanning the skies with a new intensity, willing the Snitch to appear. 

As if his wish was granted, he suddenly caught a glance of the Snitch hovering near one of the other team's Chasers. He swerved, the blood pounding in his ears. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other Seeker coming up from behind, and Harry put on a burst of speed. The Snitch seemed determined not to be caught, as it flew up and around, in circles.

However, Harry was just as determined, and followed it around in circles, as it circled around players, and goal posts. The crowd was silent now, and everyone on the field had stopped playing to watch the two Seekers chasing the Snitch. Unexpectedly, the Snitch stopped. Caught by surprise, Harry didn't stop right away and his momentum carried him past it. He swerved rapidly, but the other Seeker, who had been behind him, was able to stop closer to the Snitch. She stretched out her arm and caught the Snitch in one swift movement.

Harry was stunned. So, it seemed, was everyone at Hogwarts. 

"Seeker Zhang catches the Snitch…Aesaels wins the Quidditch Quest…unbelievable…" Lee Jordan sounded completely stunned.

Harry was just hovering on his broom in midair. They had lost. The never lost. But they had just lost. 

The Gryffindor team gathered together on the ground and watched as Aesaels supporters hoisted the team into the air. The stadium filled with cheers as a huge golden trophy was passed to them. Silently, the Gryffindor team filed out of the field. They met Wood in the locker room. He looked as if he were about to cry.

"We're sorry--", "We tried, but they--", "They were just too fast--"they all started to apologize, feeling terrible, but Wood stopped them. He gulped, then he pulled himself together. "We played an excellent game against a worthy rival. We barely had any practices for this game, and we did really well for that. You all played your best, and that's all that matters. Anyway, it's just a game. There will be others." he looked as if he actually meant what he said, for once. The team filed back out. As they came out onto the field, the Hogwarts supporters gave them a huge roar of applause. The team went forward to meet the Aesaels team. As they congratulated them and shook hands, the Seeker went over to Harry. 

"I just wanted to tell you," she said, "You played a very good game. You really had me scared there that you would actually win." she grinned, and Harry smiled, blushing. "you didn't exactly so too badly either," he said, feeling his face turning a bright crimson. They shook hands and she went back to celebrate with her team. 

For some reason, Harry didn't feel so disappointed. Somehow, the QQ didn't seem so important anymore. Like Wood has said, it was only a game. Perhaps practically dying had put his life into perspective…After all, life is short, and this was just a minor defeat in comparison to what would come. 

Before this year, Harry knew he would've considered this defeat the end of the world. But after experiencing all that he had experienced this year, Quidditch seemed a minor problem. Life would go on, there was no use moping. 

As the teams disbanded, Harry and Ron started walking back toward the school. Ron was taking the loss much harder than Harry, who was trying to calm him down.

"So close!" he was roaring, "They must have bewitched their brooms, they were flying so fast, and their Keeper was unbelievable, he must have been cheating too! And that Seeker…she turned so fast I bet she knew where the Snitch was going…since…since they bewitched all the Quidditch balls! Yeah! That's it, they…" and so on. They were both carrying their brooms over one shoulder, heading back toward Hogwarts and still in their Quidditch robes when they were joined by Hermione. As she caught up to them, after being in the crowd, she started trying to reassure them anxiously, thinking them both to be very upset. "I'm sorry you lost," she said hurriedly, "but there's always next time! Anyway, you tried your best, and I'm sure next time you'll win, and be happy!" Harry stopped her. "Don't worry," he said, "I know." and he did. 

From every mistake comes a lesson. This year, Harry had learned a lot about mistakes and regrets, but success and winning is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. He must learn to consult not his fears and regrets, but his hopes and dreams. They must _all_ learn to concern themselves not with what they tried and failed in, but what it is still possible for them all to do, and the future was boundless. Everyone wants a perfect ending, but Harry had learned the hard way that some poems don't rhyme, and some stories do not have a clear beginning, middle, and end.

Besides, Harry thought, as he walked back into Hogwarts with his two best friends at his side, he was happy, and for now, that's all that mattered. Things could be a lot worse than losing a Quidditch game. After all, life is all about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it without knowing what's going to happen next…

A/N: Well I tried, ok? I know there are a lot of mistakes throughout this whole story, but it's finally finished! I hope you all like it, even if they didn't win the QQ thing...yes, I had to make the team who beat Harry be from where I am from, and I had to be on the team…lol…

I hope everyone understands why Harry didn't die, I tried to explain it as best as I could…anyway, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reviewed, it really means a lot : ) and I'm going to be starting a new story, an L/J fic, look for it soon under the title _Face the Charm…_


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